A Warriors Love Stoy, Plus Some
by EmberFall
Summary: What's worse than a cat who is tricked into becoming evil? One who doesn't need to be tricked. When Emberpaw must grow new roots, there's bound to be some problems, but what she will go through is tougher than most. The Darkforest is planning something, using spirits of evil cats to recruit new fighters, and if she doesn't do something, Starclan will be overtaken and gone, forever.
1. Becoming Something Diffrent

**Hello! This is my first story on , so Hay! Hehe^_^ usually I don't have one particular thing I write about… usually it's just what I'm in the mood for, so please bear with me as I try and find a story line that keeps you coming back for moar! This particular story is one that I have been mulling over for a while; I'm hoping creating a deadline and having supporters will help me finish it! Enjoy!**

Emberkit blinked slowly as she curled and uncurled her claws. Her brother, Stripekit, was nearly on top of her, smothering her with his soft, downy grey fur. "gerroff" I yowled, twisting and trying to get free, waking Gingertail's kits, Nightkit and Redkit. Suddenly, the whole nursery was filled with grunts and yowls, Emberkit groaned. At sun-high she would become an apprentice, and she was acting like a newborn kit!

"Emberkit! What in Starclan is going on?!" Morningbird said, not unkindly but with a hint of irritation.

"Stripekit was on top of me," she grumbled, "and he wouldn't get off." Stripekit shot up, indignant.

"Did not!"

Emberkit had to fight the urge to retort him, and sat with her eyes on her paws as Nightkit came over. He flicked her ear with his tail. "Just don't do it again. I was having a great dream about fighting those mange-fur Shadowclan cats!" in spite of myself, I purred and nudged him.

"Would it help if I pretended to be a Shadowclan warrior and let you attack me?" Nightkit pounced on me suddenly, knocking me to the ground and growling playfully, "Yes, it would."

So then here she was; being attacked by Stripekit, Nightkit, and Redkit. Emberkit caught some of her mother's conversation with Gingertail.

"Emberkit's ability to mend arguments is astounding," Gingertail commented, "it's like she knows exactly what to say to flatten a cat's fur!" Morningbird purred.

"Yes, she will be a great warrior, one day." Gingertail looked startled by this. "Don't you think she would be better as a medicine cat?" Emberkit's mother bristled.

"No! She will be a warrior! The best in Thunderclan! _She will_."

Gingertail was startled. "keep your fur on, Morningbird! It was just a suggestion! Keep your claws in!"

After this, Emberkit lost track of the argument as Nightkit began to prod her stomach and she went limp.

"Yes! The Shadowclan flea-pelt has lost! Thunderclan is the –"Nightkit was cut off as she shot up and tackled him, cuffing his ears.

"Hey! That's not fair! Mange-fur!" Nightkit easily ducked her feeble swipe and nipped her on the ear. _Hard_.

Emberpaw felt the smallest amount of blood trickle from the tear.

"_Nightkit_! Come here, _right now_!" Gingertail said, anger in her mew. Nightkit slunk over, his black ears flat and his tail drooping.

Morningbird rushed over.

"Are you in any pain? Come on, we need to go to Ivytail!"

she rolled her eyes when she wasn't looking, and huffed out a sigh.

"I'm okay, it just stings a little. Honest!" Emberkit added when she saw her mother's disbelieving look.

They soon made it to the medicine cat's den, and they brushed past the lichen barrier and into the dark cave. A bombardment of smells washed over her, and she had to fight the urge to sneeze. Morningbird ushered her to the pure white medicine cat. Ivytail's surprise was evident in her stunning blue eyes at Morningbird. Emberkit did not fully understand Ivytail's relationship with her mother. They were littermates, she knew, but either than that, all Emberkit knew was that her mother despised her white-furred sister.

"Nightkit tore Emberkit's ear. Please heal it." Her mother mewed stiffly, turned, and shouldered her way out of the lichen.

After what felt like a moon, Ivytail let her go, with a stinky-smelling poultice on her tear. As she padded back to the nursery to get ready for her apprentice ceremony, she saw her father, Heroncall, exchange greetings with Starfall and Voleclaw.

"Father! Look what Nightkit did to my ear!" Emberpaw exclaimed and bounded over to them. Heroncall took one look at me and flicked his tail at her, like she was an annoying fly.

"Can't you see I'm in the middle of a conversation, Emberpaw? If it was up to me, I would make you wait another moon for your apprentice ceremony for you to learn some respect!"

At her father's words, Emberkit's heart tore slightly, not unlike her ear. Her father was like this, when prey was low. At least, that was what she told herself, but a glance at the heaped pile told her that a lack of prey wasn't the reason for her father's annoyance. Thankfully, Morningbird came over and saved Emberkit from replying.

"Emberkit! The ceremony's about to start and you've yet to groom yourself!" With that, Emberkit gratefully plodded away from her spiteful father and gave herself a grooming that impressed even Gingertail, who prided herself on her glossy orange and tan pelt.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under skyrock for a clan meeting!" Cloudstar yowled, and almost immediately, the hollow began to fill up with cats. Morningbird pushed Strpiekit and I forward, stifling a purr of amusement at our nervous faces.

"Stripekit and Emberkit." Cloudstar beckoned us forward with his fluffy grey tail.

"You have been waiting with us for six moons. Today, you will begin your Thunderclan training. Your Mother and Father both are wonderful and strong warriors, and I hope you both follow in their pawsteps.

"Stripekit." Cloudstar's voice rang clearly throughout the camp. Stripekit raised his muzzle at his name.

"From this day forward you will be known as Stripepaw." Cloudstar's eyes searched the group of cats.

"Your mentor will be Smallshadow. Smallshadow, please pass down your loyalty and talent in hunting."

Cloudstar then turned his gaze to me.

"Emberkit. Until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Emberpaw. Starfall shall be your mentor."

Cloudstar then began calling out our names, and with the whole clan soon joining in, she was sure this was the best moment in her life.

_Stripepaw! Emberpaw!_

For a moment, it felt as even Starclan was chanting her name.

**Phew! That was longer than I expected! The problem will come up in the next chapter, due around the 9****th**** or 10****th****. Until then, happy hunting!**


	2. An Unwanted Announcement

**Hello! This is chapter 2 in my Warriors story! ENJOY! P.S. is it just me, or are the Warriors Cats **_**way**_** better than the bear and dog ones…? :$**

Starfall approached Emberpaw after the ceremony ended. She was excited; she would _finally_ get to explore Thunderclan's territory! Her paws itched to race Stripepaw to the tunnel, but she held herself back. She had to be more mature, now, she was an apprentice!

"Emberpaw, are you up to a border patrol? Afterwards I can show you the territory." Emberpaw was about to answer when Frogleap came thundering through the barrier.

Her father looked up from his conversation to address the grey and tan dappled tom.

"Frogleap! Where have you –," her father was cut off by his earsplitting yowl:

"Riverclan cats! There are Riverclan cats wanting to speak with you, Cloudstar!"

The hollow became in an instant uproar, all the cats speaking at once.

"Riverclan? What do the fish-breath mouse-brains want?"

"I wonder if it's about sunningrocks…?"

"Maybe they need herbs?"

"Why in Starclan would they come _here_? We're not their allies!

Emberpaw tried to block out the din of confusion and look for her brother, without success. She decided to move towards the back, and try and spot his grey stripes, but she was unsuccessful.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the Riverclan cats came in through the barrier and the cats of Thunderclan became even more suspicious.

"So many warriors! It must be a battle patrol!"

"Even Riverclan isn't mouse-brained enough to bring a battle patrol into the heart of Thunderclan…"

Again, Emberpaw struggled to block out the mews and look for her brother, but she soon after decided the attempt was futile. She padded towards the apprentice den and sat, with her tail wrapped neatly around her paws and looked forward with a frosty glare towards the Riverclan patrol.

Cloudstar leapt onto the skyrock.

"Cats of Thunderclan! Silence!"

The mumbles and mewing died down almost immediately.

Cloudstar then addressed the leader of the group.

"Reedstar, what do you wish to announce that is so important as to come into Thunderclan's camp and bring along with you what appears to be a battle patrol?"

This cat was Reedstar! The leader of Riverclan! Emberpaw suddenly felt small and insignificant, but her attention was rapt on Cloudstar and Reedstar's exchange.

"Cloudstar, may we please speak in private?" Reedstar suggested. His voice held no sign of aggression, but Emberpaw knew that calm presence could be broken in a heartbeat.

Cloudstar scowled. "And let your battle patrol breathe down my cats' necks? What you have to say to me can be said to all of Thunderclan"

Reedstar's demeanor shifted slightly, almost like he was rethinking something. He then cleared his throat, but another warrior spoke before Reedstar could quiet her.

"I want back my kits! their father is a Thunderclan cat, and I have come to claim them."

Emberpaw was taken aback. A Thunderclan cat, falling in love with a _Riverclan_ cat? Impossible!

Just as she began to wonder who the father was, a tom stood up and walked forward.

A tom with dark grey fur and Morningbird close on his heels.

Her father.

_Heroncall_.

"Emberpaw and Stripepaw are _mine_. You have no right to them!" Her father growled, his ears flattening and his tail stiff.

"This," Reedstar spoke, raising his voice as to not be cut off again, "is why we came. Riverclan wishes to take back their cats, and we are willing to fight for them."

Emberpaw's mind spun. _Impossible_! Her mother was Morningbird! Not… not… a _Riverclan cat_!

The female warrior spoke up. Emberpaw's mother.

"Where… where are they? Where are Emberpaw and Stripepaw?"

Emberpaw tentatively stepped forward, and two Riverclan warriors came over to her and nudged her forward, towards her mother. Emberpaw was more than reluctant, but the warriors on either side of her were unrelenting.

Finally, she saw Stripepaw. We were both stiff, fur bristled and eyes narrowed towards our mother. She came forward, and purred so loud, Emberpaw was wondering whether there would be any prey later.

"you both have grown… you two aren't little kits anymore…" she murmered softly into our ears.

_Got that right, I'm not_, She thought, _I'm an apprentice, now!_

Stripepaw glanced at her through the corner of his eye, and they knew they were thinking the same thing;_ what happens, now?_

Cloudstar was pensive through this exchange. Finally, he spoke.

"Heroncall, is this true?"

"Yes," Heroncall spat, "but not anymore."

Cloudstar shifted his attention to Reedstar. His eyes were clouded, sad. Emberpaw wondered what he would say.

_He'll say he'd rather fight then give them up_, she reminded herself, _there's no way he'd let us go_.

Cloudstar spoke with sadness in his mew.

"I… I believe kits… should be with their mothers."

_What?_

**Woah! Even I didn't see that one coming! My fingers take over and I just sit back and watch!**

**I answer all PMs, Comments (if they're relevant), and Idk if they're offensive; that just helps me fix my mistakes!**

**Sorry this one was a tidbit shorter... I'm working on 'cliffhangers' (although I hate them)**

**I said this would come out on the 9****th**** or 10****th****, but I was so excited when I saw people had actually read my creations.. I got a little out of control :$**

**Well, now chapter three will be out on the 9****th**** or 10****th**** :P**

**Until then, Happy Hunting, and may that fish, mouse, thrush, rat, brid, or whatever it is you hunt, come into your jaws!**

**~~~ME**


	3. Becoming Something New

**Hello! Back again? I have to thank you all so much, you should've seen my face when I saw that 18 ppl had read my story (yes, I know that's not a very big number, but that's the most ppl who have ever read my stuff)**

**Big thanks to:**

**WarriorCATZprincessk—thank you! You're my first comment, EVER! I'm SO grateful for your support!**

**Hehe on to the story! *wonders what will happen next***

**BTW: if any of you get confused, I will post a chapter with all of the Warriors names!**

**Request! Comment! PM! OKIE! **_**Now**_** the story**

Stripepaw was the first to speak up;

"But we're not Kits! Don't we have a choice?"

The warriors, Thunderclan and Riverclan warriors alike were quiet. Emberpaw agreed with her brother. It was _them_ they were talking about; didn't they get to decide what happens?

Reedstar directed his gaze to Stripepaw, and I wrapped my tail comfortingly around his when he shrank back from the large cat.

"Do you wish never to be with Splashfur? Your own _mother_?

She sensed her brother pause, and Emberfall replied for him. Her heart beat painfully, when she addressed the Riverclan leader.

"My apologizes, Reedstar, but we are Thunderclan apprentices."

Thunderclan's warriors puffed out their chests slightly, daring Riverclan to deny what Emberpaw had stated.

Cloudstar stunned them all. "You both haven't even been apprentices for a full day. I am sending you both to live with your mother."

"No! Stripepaw cannot become a Riverclan cat!" Ivytail burst out from her spot next to the leader. All heads turned to face the scared medicine cat. "And why can't he?" Reedstar inquired, annoyed.

Ivytail hesitated before answering. "There has been a prophecy about him. He cannot leave Thunderclan!"

Stripepaw was stiff with shock as the murmurs circulated the camp.

"They can't take a cat of a prophecy away!"

"What about Emberpaw? Is the prophecy about her, too?"

Emberpaw was asking herself the same, and apparently so was Cloudstar.

"What about Emberpaw? Is she in this prophecy?" Cloudstar asked Ivytail. It was obvious Cloudstar was annoyed that Ivytail didn't tell him about the prophecy.

Ivytail hung her head. "No, Cloudstar."

Reedstar stood up, padding over to Emberpaw and nodding at her mother, Splashfur, to step away, and he stood next to me.

"Riverclan, then, claims Emberpaw. You may keep Stripepaw, but we take her."

Cloudstar nodded. "Give…Give Emberpaw a moment to say goodbye."

Reedstar nudged her with his shoulder, letting her go. She immediately ran to Stripepaw, licking his shoulder fiercely and twining her tail with his.

"It's not fair," Stripepaw sobbed, "Emberpaw! Don't go! Please…"

"It's okay, Stripepaw. I'll be okay. You'll be okay. Don't worry. I love you. Become the greatest warrior in Thunderclan." It broke her heart to say these words. She didn't want to leave. Her heart was being wrenched from her family, her home, her clan. It was almost too much for her to handle.

Stripepaw sniffed. "What if we ever fight you? I don't want to fight you!"

This thought scared her more than anything. "I'd rather become a rouge, than fight you in battle." I gave his ear a lick, and then walked over to her mother. _Not her real mother_, she reminded herself, _but she will be her first_. Morningbird was hissing at Ivytail. _Not good_, she thought.

Emberpaw came within earshot of her moth- Morningbird and Ivytail's argument.

Ivytail was defending herself. "It's not my fault! I'm just speaking for Starclan!"

"You _liar_! You just hate me! You want to take away Emberpaw from me! You want to scar Stripepaw! You want to make me _suffer!"_

"No! Morningbird.." Ivytail sighed.

"Forget it." Morningbird snapped, padding over to Emberpaw and smiled sadly. Emberpaw buried her muzzle into Morningbird's soft fur, and she smelled memories. She saw the memory of opening her eyes for the first time, of seeing her mother and hoping that one day, she would be as beautiful and strong.

"Morningbird…" She heard her voice crack. Just then, Splashfur, her real mother, came over and nodded her head to Morningbird. "Thank you for taking care of my kit."

Morningbird said nothing.

Splashfur gently nudged Emberpaw and she began padding towards the barrior, tail drooping. Reedstar greeted me at the entrance. "Emberpaw, I understand that you are sad and confused," _No! No you don't! You never have! she_ thought angrily, "but you will understand later on that you won't regret this."

I did not believe him one bit.

The sky, which had been getting darker since this morning, let out a low peal of thunder.

"Will this affect how we need to get to camp?" one of the warriors inquired to Reedstar.

He looked up to the dark grey sky. "I do not think so, if we hurry. I don't think it would help Emberpaw if her first time in Riverclan, and she had to swim across the river to get to camp." He chuckled, and stayed close to me as we left Thunderclan. His presence was somewhat comforting, but Emberpaw knew that it would be a long time, if ever, that she would be at ease.

She tried to take in everything as they walked by; the trees, the warm, rich sent of freshly turned dirt, the call of birds as they hurried back to their nests. She sank her claws into her rich soil, tearing moss and pushing small pebbles aside as they walked on.

Anger began to surge into her mind. She was a Thunderclan cat! She just couldn't be Riverclan! She didn't have the slick, thin-furred pelts of the warriors around her, and her pelt was obvious without the protection of the trees and shadows. Calico fur wasn't the most inconspicuous.

A droplet of water landed on Emberpaw's nose. She shook her head, looking up into the canopy of intricate green leaves. It was the beginning of New-Leaf, some of the trees still had bare branches and brown, rotting leaves littered the ground. Emberpaw scented mouse, and so did some of the warriors.

A light grey tabby began to stalk the mouse, but Reedstar cuffed him over the ear. "Troutpaw! You know better! The warrior code says we do not hunt on other territories. Get back with the others."

The grey apprentice, Troutpaw, flattened his ears, and padded over to where Emberfall was, and she almost wished Splashfur was with her, so the tom wouldn't come over, but she was talking to Reedstar. _Probably about how to convert her to a Riverclan _cat, she thought bitterly.

Troutpaw was now next to her, padding in-step with her, but he said nothing. The silence, killing her, pushed her to talk.

"Wh-whats Riverclan like…?" she mewed, hating how it came out shaky.

He looked stunned that she had spoken to him. He seemed to ponder this for a moment.

"It's great! There are a lot of arguments, love, hate, fights, battles… it's just like a big family! Well- it is a big family. I mean…" he seemed embarrassed about something, but she wasn't sure if she was just imagining it.

They then encountered the Thunderclan border. It smelled like everything she was used to, her home. And then they crossed it. She suddenly felt really exposed. Emberpaw felt as if she was shrinking in her pelt, trying to become small and unnoticeable.

Troutpaw seemed to notice this, and he nudged her with his shoulder, snapping her out of her bout of fear. "Hey, it's okay, I know it's scary. Riverclan is huge! I only just got the tour of the territory, myself!" Emberpaw was stunned by this. "You're a new apprentice?" but he was so big!

"Yes," he said, ducking his head, "I was sick as a kit." Emberpaw was so embarrassed. "Oh, I- I'm sorry."

He purred, his almost silver pelt brushing against hers. "It's okay, fish-brain! It's not like you had anything to do with it!" with that said, we encountered the river.

Stones, scattered across the length of the flowing water, led to the other side, where she could smell many different cats. _The camp_, she concluded.

Troutpaw hopped neatly across, seemingly oblivious to the water speeding past. He looked back, and he seemed to remember that she had never done this. He hopped back, reminding her of a frog.

"You should be called Frogpaw!" she said, snorting as he pretended to be offended.

His eyes glinted "Well, maybe I won't help you, after all!" and turned to hop back across.

Panic fluttered in her chest. "Wait! No, I meant- just" she stopped when Troutpaw started laughing.

He purred, and circled her. "You really think I would leave you?" she hinted a bit of hurt in his gaze, but before she could reply, Reedstar popped his head from the entrance to the camp. "Are you 'Paws coming, or not?" then, seeing my fearful glances directed towards the stones, she softened his gaze. "Emberpaw, do you need any help?" shame burned through her fur, and she stubbornly set her gaze on the first stone. She leaped, keeping her balance to the best of her ability. Before she could think about it too much, she hopped onto the second, then the third.

She was almost there! Narrowing her gaze, she set her sights on the last stone, which just _had_ to be the one with the biggest space to jump.

She gathered her haunches, and jumped. She landed squarely on the stone, but her left hind leg slipped, splashing into the cold water.

"Ah!" she yelped, and jumped onto dry land once again. Reedstar was astonished, his round amber eyes showing his awe and surprise. Shaking her fear, she felt Troutpaw come up beside her.

"That was great, Emberpaw!" Reedstar nodded, warmth filling his gaze. "Yes, it was. Now, let's go in."

She nodded nervously, and padded through the weaved reeds into the Riverclan camp. Cats swarmed around, gathering as much information and gossip out of the warrior patrol that came to get her and her brother.

Reedstar glanced back, amused by her awed gaze.

"Welcome to Riverclan, Emberpaw."

**OMG! My heart throbs for Emberpaw! I feel for her so much, (but I feel that Troutpaw may want to help her with that) ^^; you like? Rate, comment, request, just please! I'd love to know how you feel about the story and the chapters thus far! The next story will come on the thirteenth of fourteenth, depending on how inspired I am! **

**Got any suggestions/ requests on what you want to happen? TELL ME! Id love to incorporate something of yours into the story! **

**SPECIAL NOTE: the first five people to comment on THIS CHAPTER, post your warriorcat name, and I will include you in the story! (you may be: A Starclan cat, a rouge, or a Riverclan warior!)**

**Have a nice day!**

**~~~Emberfall (and no, Emberfall will not be Emberpaw's warrior name! I will set up a poll when I need to, and YOU can help decide what her warrior name will be!)**


	4. Becoming a Dark Spirit

**Hey! OMG OMG OMG! Fifty views! *I know that isn't a lot, but it's much more than I thought I would EVER receive! **

**As I always do, I have to give out my kind regards to my amazing commenters: **

**WarriorCATZprincessk—Thank you for your continued support, and I love your suggestions!**

**Silver wolf rain—thanks for asking me to continue! I sort of have an ego issue, and someone telling me that they want to read more of my story makes me all giddy and happieeee!**

**Orangeflight of Shadowclan—OMG! Ur name **_**is**_** taking me a while to type! I don't envy you **

**Thanks for all of your support; I was so excited my all the positive-ness, that I just by-passed the contest with the comments, (info on chapter three) and I only have one name to use._.; *I have two pending, so HURRY!)**

**ATTENTION: EMBERPAW'S WARRIOR NAME POLL **_**IS NOW OPEN!**_** PLEASE VOTE!**

**And now, per WarriorCATZprincessk's request, a mini-chapter showing Starclan's intent… ENJOY!**

"_Well, hello there, little kit. You sure are far away from the Clans…. I see, you have been sent to observe the Starclan meeting. I'm sorry to tell you that it has been postponed, due to an outbreak of Darkforest warriors pushing the boundaries of Starclan. Oh, but I'm sorry. I have forgotten that you are only a kit. You have been untouched yet of evil, or hatred and jealousy._

"_What is the Darkforest, you ask? The Darkforest is where the cats, the ones that succumb to the evil, to the jealousy of the world, go. These cats become bitter, hateful, and dangerous. We constantly fight against them, they constantly push our boundaries, but lately, they have been getting stronger, they have begun to multiply, due to the increasing unrest in the Clans. This is normal, for the clans to get hateful and bitter themselves. But this time, the Darkforest was ready. They have begun to solidify._

"_I'm sorry, kit, I am getting ahead of myself, again. You are very mature, for a kit, you know! Okay, where was I? I apologize; an old cat like me is bound to have some memory problems… Oh yes, thank you. The Darkforest has begun to copy the Clan cats. The evil side, the cat's bitter and jealous and spiteful side, becomes a whole different cat. A Darkforest cat. It is unknown, in the four clans, how this is happening, but they believe that when a cat dies, they go to the Darkforest _or _Starclan, when in reality, the good part of a cat goes to Starclan, and the evil to the Darkforest._

"_No, little cat, you do not have a copy in the Darkforest. The cat has to have angry thoughts, thoughts of thoughtless killing, of murder of warriors, queens, kits, and elders alike. They have no pity. But then, there are those who have simply been pushed away, whose spite and jealousy get the better of them, and they then create their Dark copy._

"_Do I have one, you ask me? I am ashamed to say yes, I do. I have an angry, evil soul with my name and my body, past those trees, right at the horizon. Can you see? They are fighting more fiercely than ever, I fear that we may need help from the cats that walk the ground still. There is one in particular that frightens me. She was as pure as snow, until one of them ruined everything. I have then since felt her Dark spirit form, and she is already as powerful as mine is. And that, little kit, is not an easy thing to accomplish. And to think she's only barely an apprentice…_

"_I believe she's moving to your Clan, isn't she? Riverclan? _

"_I'm sorry, little kit; I believe I have forgotten to ask you of your name._

"_Oh! You're the one I was sent to welcome! You must forgive me, I had forgotten. _

"_Welcome to Starclan, Leafkit. My name is Orangeflight."_

**How did you guys like that? Hehe ^_^ this is similar to what your parts will be like, like I said, I have TWO definite spots for you left! (now, though, you have a better chance of being : a Riverclan cat, or a Dark Spirit.) im trying to twist the story away from the books, ever so slightly! Like it? No? TEL ME!**

**Thankyou all SO MUCH for your reviews, visits, and for the one request **

'**Till we meet again, ~~~Emberfall**

**P.S.: I was wondering, how does an interview with Emberpaw and Stripepaw sound? Spread my story around a bit, and when I get… hmmm… 75 views, I will post it!**


	5. jumping stones and growing roots

**Hello, my readers! If you are reading this, I love you! It still sorta shocks me that people even read my works! Okay, I have a couple of announcements:**

**1) Emberpaw's warrior name POLL is NOW OPEN! So far, only one person has voted ._. you can find it on my PROFILE PAGE!**

**2) Want to be in the story? Comment at the end of a chapter with your warrior cat name, Clan, and your appearance, and you can be in it! SPOTS ARE LIMITED! Three more people have the chance, so HURRY!**

**3) as I promised, when I said I would do a special interview with Emberpaw and Stripepaw when I got 75 views. When I posted that, I had fifty. When I woke up the next day, 74 ppl had read it! WHOO HOO! Although, in hindsight, I should've raised the quota a bit higher! I didn't think it would happen so quickly =.=; OKAY! My stupidity aside, PM OR COMMENT WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE EMBERPAW AND STRIPEPAW TO ANSWER! Questions unlimited! *but please, keep it a K rating!***

**Comments? Requests? Don't like something? TELL ME! I will fix/do it to the best of my abilty!**

**Enjoy!**

Emberpaw's eyes went round. So _this_ was Riverclan? It was huge! At least as big as Thunderclan's camp, their hollow consisted of a bank; a small stream bordered one side, and she could tell that the medicine den was right next to it, due to the smell of herbs, and the fact that retrieving water would be no hassle for treating the sick and wounded. Next to the medicine den was a large holly bush, enforced with brambles and reeds. Faintly, Emberpaw could hear tiny mewls escape the tightly woven den. The Nursery.

Further on, close to the Nursery, was the warrior den. It was very big, as to accommodate all of the lithe, sleek fighters and hunters of the clan. Emberpaw could distinguish that part of it was an old, hollowed out log, but what seemed like a tree or large plant had started growing inside it, adding extra protection, and no doubt plenty of warmth in the cold leaf-bare months.

On the other side of the hollow appeared to be a pile of boulders; but on closer inspection, she saw small caves, each with the musty sent of moss and reeds. _Clever,_ she thought. The apprentices and elders, which she assumed slept in these caves, could have some level of privacy, and they were well-protected and easy to defend.

Troutpaw took her out of her daze and nudged her.

"Pretty awesome, huh?" he purred, amused at my awed gaze.

"y-yeah!" I forced out of my nervous-locked jaw.

Reedstar, who had been talking to what she could guess to be his deputy, walked over, the she-cat he had been talking to on his heels. Troutpaw flicked my ear and walked off when her heard his name be called from the Nursery.

"Emberpaw, this is Robinflight, the Riverclan deputy. I bowed my head, peeking up to study her pale grey fur, which seemed to shimmer in the sun, that was beginning to shine through the angry, grey clouds.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Emberpaw. Reedstar said I shall be your mentor. I look forward to training you." She padded over and touched her nose to mine, and I hesitantly licked her shoulder. So this was her new mentor? She wasn't too disappointed, Robinflight was a muscular she cat, with a fire in her eyes that made Emberpaw know she was a force to be reckoned with in a battle.

A cat called Reedstar over, and as he left, he nodded to Robinflight.

"Emberpaw, would you like to meet your clanmates?" Robinflight inquired.

She nodded, if she was going to live here, she should at least get to know everyone and try and make some new friends.

Her mentor, seeming pleased to know her apprentice wasn't shy. She padded over to a group of warriors.

"Maplebelly, Moonstream, Lilyflower, this is Emberpaw." They studied her with matching green eyes. Maplebelly, a light brown she-cat, was the first to speak.

"Welcome to Riverclan, Emberpaw."

Emberpaw nodded, uncomfortable with all the stares she was receiving from the cats around her, waiting for her reaction. Although she was content with just nodding, Emberpaw could tell everyone was waiting for her to speak.

"It's nice to meet you, Maplebelly, Lilyflower, Moonstream. Thank you for taking me in with such open hearts." Seeming satisfied with this answer, Lilyflower padded over. Emberpaw noticed the hints of a swollen belly, kits. Lilyflower began licking my fur.

"Your fur's a mess! What have you been doing, fighting a badger?" she purred and continued grooming her pelt. Embarrassed, Emberpaw ducked her head and looked for any way to escape the soon-to-be queen's motherly instincts. Emberpaw's only escape, Robinflight, was called by a tom, who padded over to her and licked her ear affectionately. She nuzzled the tom back, but then she seemed to remember I was there, still.

"I'm sorry, Nighttallon, I have to give Emberpaw the grand tour still… can I meet you later?"

Her mentor looked so disappointed that she couldn't be with Nighttallon, But Emberpaw didn't want to follow in the Love-birds' path, so she settled for the next best thing, even if it wasn't very helpful, in her case.

She struggled to put on a passive expression. "It's fine, Robinflight. Go share tongues with Nighttallon."

If her expression wasn't good enough, Robinflight didn't say anything.

"Oh! Thank you, Emberpaw! I'll send someone to take over for me!" and with that, she padded off with her mate, and Emberpaw was left to be groomed/mauled by three she-cats. Great way her day was going.

Emberpaw wondered who would be taking over her tour. Reedstar? The medicine cat? Who was Riverclan's medicine cat, anyways? She knew it was a tom, but that was it. As my thoughts began to wander, my tour guide came over.

"Hey, Emberpaw! I see Lilyflower has gotten to you!" Troutpaw.

Emberpaw felt a spot of warmth, inside her chest. What was it? was she becoming sick? _oh, that would be horrible_, she thought, _to be sick and make the clan take care of me the first day she was here! _

To escape these thoughts, she studied Troutpaw. His grey fur was long, a bit unruly and all over the place. His eyes, a deep blue color, were exactly like the swift, moving river she had passed over earlier. He looked intently into my eyes, and Emberpaw realized she had zoned out. She did that a lot, sadly. She was such a mouse – er frogbrain.

"Im sorry, Troutpaw, I wasn't paying any attention. What did you say, again?"

He purred, and that bit of hear in her chest flared a bit. "I asked if you needed me to rescue you."

Emberpaw almost, almost said something sharp, but she didn't want Troutpaw to ever have the look in his eyes again, from when she was crossing the stepping stones. That look of hurt, of sadness.

"If you rescue me, what will I owe you?" she said, purring loudly. Emberpaw noticed the three warriors, Lilyflower, Moonstream, and Maplebelly, watching Troutpaw and her conversation with interest, but she ignored them and warily waited for Troutpaw to come up with a request.

"I... You have to let me teach you how to swim!" this surprised her, and her limbs locked.

"I... so soon?!" I stuttered, resisting purring at the sight of his amused, sparkling eyes.

"Yes, and don't worry! I'll keep you safe, if that's what you're worried about!" with that said, he puffed out his chest, flicked her ear with his tail, and intertwined it with his.

"I'll show you to the apprentice dens! Come on!" Emberpaw was enraptured with his care free attitude, she naturally gravitated to him, it seemed.

She padded in step with him, soaking up the last rays of sun, before feeling the loss as it sunk behind the trees for the night. Cats around her began to head towards their dens, and she could hear small yawns coming from the nursery. Emberpaw began to feel the beginnings of sleep coming down on her, the long, confusing day finally taking its toll on her. She sleepily followed Troutpaw to a small opening in the rocks.

_It smells like him_, she thought drowsily.

He looked embarrassed as he spoke to me. I noticed a nest, next to his. It had fresh moss and woven with reeds, and it looked so comfortable, she almost feel asleep just looking at it.

"I made it for you, while you were with the warriors. There was no other space, so…" he shuffled his paws, but I calmed him with a lick to his ear.

"Thank you, Troutpaw. It means a lot, after a day like today."

He seemed to remember what Emberpaw had gone through since the sun had risen, and he looked embarrassed once again. He began nudging her towards the nest.

"About that… if... if there's anything I can do, you know, if you want to talk about it, I'll always have an ear out for you."

Emberpaw, who had been trying to ignore that warm, fuzzy feeling inside her chest, let it flow free as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, Troutpaw's warm pelt rubbing comfortably next to hers.

**Comment! Request! Vote in the poll on my page! **

**Until next time, **

**~ME!**


	6. Swimming and rainbow fish

**Hello! Emberfall here! So far, Emberpaw's poll has a ten-way tie .-. so please vote?! Hehe, I like the ones ppl have voted for, though**

**A special thanks to these awesome viewers and supporters:**

**Bluebellcat****—thanks! I love how you've come to help me a lot in the stories!**

**Bellaluna18142****—I laughed at what you said, about if u were Emberpaw! Although she is stubborn, if I had her do what you would, the story wouldn't go anywhere :p and thanks for the cat name! You'll come up either in this chapter or the next!:)**

**Bramblewhisker88****—glad you think that about my story! Oh, and your cat Thunderpelt sounds sorta cute :3 **

**Blazing Ice Dragon****- Thanks! Your words made my day :)**

**Got any funny or too-personal questions you want to ask Emberpaw? What about Stripepaw? Coming up soon will be an interview skit, so just post your questions you want me to ask!**

**Okay, ENJOY!**

Emberpaw woke with horrible hunger pains. With an irritated jolt, she realized she hadn't eaten since before she had her apprentice ceremony, and that had been a small mouse because she had been too nervous. But then, even as her stomach felt as if it were eating itself, she didn't want to eat Riverclan fish. That would mean she was one step closer to becoming a Riverclan cat, and she wasn't sure if she wanted that, yet.

Or ever, for that matter.

Her heart ached for Stripepaw and his annoying snore, of her mother's comforting breathing in the small nursery, and of Nightkit and Redkit's small mewls. Her mind then wandered to Stripepaw's prophecy. _What was it_, she wondered. _Only Starclan knows,_ she thought sourly. Starclan, her warrior ancestors, which tore apart her peaceful life. Why couldn't the prophecy had included her? If it had, she would be with her brother, warm in the apprentice den and sleeping peacefully.

Although, Emberpaw noticed, she wasn't that uncomfortable. Troutpaw wasn't even a tail-length away from her, in the small cave. His face was peaceful, his nose twitching every heartbeat, and his paws churned restlessly. Was he having a bad dream? She pondered waking him, but she didn't wasn't to annoy her only denmate. Just then, his eyes flickered open, saving her from her surely rash actions.

"Oh, good morning, Emberpaw! Did you sleep well? Was the nest I made for you okay?" he looked at her, giving her a sleepy gaze.

"Has the dawn patrol left yet?" he inquired, stretching his long limbs.

"I don't know, I just woke up, also." She mewed, starting to groom her pelt.

Her stomach growled, loud enough for Troutpaw to hear.

He purred. "Let's go grab something from the fresh-kill pile!" and hopped out the hole, into Riverclan's hollow, which was beginning to fill up with cats. She hopped out after another couple of licks to her flank, and quickly found Troutpaw.

The fresh-kill pile was heaped with fish, big and small. Emberpaw saw minnows, carp, and so many other types, her head swam. Troutpaw took a small fish that reflected off the rising sun, and waited for her to make her choice.

The smell of the fish was starting to make her feel sick. Just then, the dawn patrol came back, among them a huge silver tom with lighter grey markings on his face. He padded over with thr rest of the parol towards the fresh-kill pile, but as the warriors dropped off their fish, he continued padding over to where Emberpaw was. She then noticed a plump mouse in his jaws. He dropped it at her paws.

"It practically jumped into my paws, and I thought you might want it more than the elders would," he mewed, his deep voice hinted amusement at my relieved and grateful expression. "my mother, moved from here to another clan, when she had another litter. When I first saw her, I sort of understood how it can be hard to make the transition." He continued. A deep, uncontrollable purr came into my chest, and I licked his shoulder affectionately.

"Thank you…?" I released I didn't have his name.

"Thunderpelt" he supplied for me.

"Thank you, Thunderpelt." He padded off, and I soon finished the mouse, deciding to watch Troutpaw devour the rainbow fish.

Robinflight made her way over to Emberpaw, and sat down next to her.

"I have plans that I couldn't get out of, could you fend for yourself today? I'll show you the territory tonight." Her mew was apologetic, and Emberpaw understood immediately.

"Yes, that's okay. I told Emberpaw I would teach her how to swim today!" Troutpaw interrupted before she could answer for herself. Robinflight looked pleased by this idea.

"Great! I'm glad to know you want to learn already! No offence, but I thought you would just sulk in your nest all day! That's what I would've done under your situation, anyways."

With that, she padded away, not hearing Emberpaw's grumble: "Swimming isn't anything I opted willingly to do…"

"What was that, Grumpypaw?" Troutpaw purred. He got up and nudged her towards the entrance, effortlessly fighting her locked limbs. Emberpaw wasn't ready for this, not nearly, but his face, filled with excitement, was enough to just barely, overcome her fears.

That was the case, until they reached the river.

It rushed past, crystal blue and dangerous looking. The stepping stones were a couple of tail lengths away, and a tree trunk hung over the moving water a little farther down.

"Okay, do you know anything about swimming?" Troutpaw asked, slightly amused by her wary glances to the water.

I looked at him blankly. "What do you think, frog-brain?"

He looked embarrassed. "Sorry, land-lover. Well, first, look at which way the current is going. I chose here so if you get swept away, you can hold onto the trunk farther downstream. Okay, so you you know that, you hop in!" and with that, he jumped in and popped up a moment later, churning his paws effortlessly through the water, not moving at all.

He them brought up a paw and splashed her. Straight in the face.

"Get in, land lover!" he called, and Emberpaw warily made her way up to the water's edge.

"Don't worry, its shallow at first, and I'll be right here."

With those words, she jumped in before she could fret over it even more. The water was warm, not freezing like she had thought it would be. Her fur was getting heavier, and she had a harder time keeping her paws under her. Her fur was tugged by the swift water, but she was elated that she hadn't died yet.

"Good job! Now, I'll stay close to you, but begin to move your paws. Keep your head above the water, and push your hind legs hard."

Emberpaw did as he told her, struggling to keep her head above the sloshing, crystalline water. Her paws soon began to ache, and water started to go up her nose. She sneezed, and her head went under.

Panic gripped her tired body, and her head became light from lack of air. She felt the sensation of moving, and of a large, brown object just above her coming fast. With the last of her consciousness, Emberpaw hooked her claws into the soft bark of… the tree stump! Her head swam as she gulped down air, and she dragged herself up onto the log.

Troutpaw swam over, and looked at her with a worried gaze. "Emberpaw! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She shook her head. "Can we try that again?" she asked, adrenaline rushing through her. She had found a new energy resource, and she wanted to use t before she could regret it again. The sun was right about their heads, and as they walked back towards their starting point, she began to get excited. She wasn't dead! All of the stories told in the nursery, about drowning cats and kits being whisked away, they weren't true in the slightest!

When they came back to the shallow waters, she jumped right in, and padded deeper than she was before. "Emberpaw! Be careful!" Troutpaw warned, but she was too excited. Her paws found a good rhythm, and just like that: she was swimming! Pushing harder, she began to go against the current and back to the trunk that surely saved her life.

Suddenly, a glimmer of white caught her eye. _Fish!_ Before she could think, she swam down and opened her eyes to find the piece of Riverclan prey. The water stung, but she ignored it as her jaws clamped down on the silver fish. It struggled a lot more than she expected, the scales making it hard to sink her teeth into it.

Then another body, lithe and well-muscled, came into her vision, and with the cat's help she brought the struggling fist to the shore, gasping for air around the heavy piece of prey. _She caught it! _She then looked for the cat that helped her. Reedstar_! Reedstar_ was the one who helped her!

He looked at Emberpaw, pride and astonishment in his gaze. "Did you catch that on your own?" he asked, still with a surprised tone.

She nodded, unsure whether he would praise her or scorn her. His eyes glistened, and he said nothing, just beckoned her and Troutpaw back to the camp. _Oh no_, she thought worriedly, _she was in trouble on her first day!_

When she came in, the now dead fish in her jaws, every cat looked bewildered. Reedstar hopped on top of the rockpile that was the apprentice and elders' dens, and yowled

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey come beneath the rockpile for a clan meeting!"

Most cats, which had been eating or sunning themselves, sat up and stopped talking.

"It seems that Emberpaw here has officially become a Riverclan apprentice! She has learned how to swim, and also, she caught a decent-sized trout. Emberpaw, please step forward"

Emberpaw, wary more than anything, stepped forward, all too aware of every eye on her calico pelt.

"Welcome to Riverclan." He nodded his head, and Emberpaw couldn't hide her embarrassment at the yowls of congratulations that came from throughout the hollow. Her name, chanted by the cats, began to fade, and they soon dispersed when they realized that was all Reedstar was going to say.

"go enjoy that trout, Emberpaw. You've earned it." Reedstar encouraged, and she and Troutpaw padded towards the base of the rockpile. Several cats congratulated her on the way.

When they got into the shade, she immediately plopped down onto her haunches and took a bite of the fist, she was so hungry-

She just took a bite of fish. Emberpaw was about to spit it out, when she noticed it actually tasted good. She soon took another bite, then another. Troutpaw watched in amusement as she devoured half of it before she could take a full breath. Embarresed, she pushed it over with her nose to Troutpaw, and they ate, the trout sitting happily in her full stomach as she shared tongues with her best friend.

**Thanks for reading! **

'**Till next time!**

**~ME**


	7. Mice and Starclan

**Omg! I love you guys! Your support had such a goofy grin on my face, ALL DAY! I can't tell you how much it makes me happy to see your comments! **

**Okay, a few things ima clear up:**

**Emberpaw looks SIMILAR to: Twanypelt**

**Troutpaw looks similar to: Ashfur**

**Stripepaw looks like: Stonefur**

**Glad I cleared that up! I can't put links on the stories, so I made some comparisons to well-known cats that you can google to get a good idea! **

**EMBERPAW'S POLL IS IN NEED OF VOTERS! It is for her warrior name, and can be found on my profile! Please vote, YOU get to decide her warrior name, but only if you vote!**

**Im still getting cat names, and I love you all too much to never use them, so expect those of your names to either come up in this chapter or the next! *the gathering***

**WARNING: I may use you as an evil cat (a Darksoul), so if you don't want me to, please tell me!**

**Request! Comment! (I still need questions to ask Emberpaw and Stripepaw in my interview skit!**

**Okay, enjoy!**

After Troutpaw was done with the fish that she had caught, Robinflight came over with two other warriors and a small, dark brown apprentice. As they padded closer, she recognized Lilyflower.

Troutpaw stood and nodded to the white tom, who Emberpaw assumed, was his mentor. Robinflight was the first to speak.

"Emberpaw, we will go tour the territory with Troutpaw and his mentor, Pebblethorn, and Beetlepaw with her mentor, Lilyflower." I nodded to Beetlepaw and her mentor, along with Pebblethorn.

We began to make our way towards the entrance, and Troutpaw walked alongside her with Beetlepaw in front of us. Trying to make a new friend, I invited the dark brown she-cat to walk with us.

"Beetlepaw, would you like to go swimming with me later?" I asked her when she moved back a bit.

"_Can_ you even swim?" she mewed, a sneer in her voice.

"Of course she can! She's even caught a fish, which you can't even claim, Beetlepaw." Troutpaw retorted. Slight irritation seeped into Emberpaw's mind. _She could talk and defend herself, Troutpaw!_ She liked that he was defending her, but she wished he would just let her fight her own battles. Even if they were just annoyed retorts at a rude she-cat.

Crossing the stepping stones was so easy, she didn't even think about it until she crossed them. She had to thank Troutpaw for that later, and erasing her fear of the water. Emberpaw actually looked _forward_ to the next time she could slide into the water.

Starting at the border with Shadowclan, they made their way around the territory. It looked much of the same, and only some parts stuck to her memory, like the huge waterfall near the Twoleg border, and a abandoned twoleg nest that was crawling with mice.

"Can you teach us how to hunt?" Emberpaw asked Robinflight. She pondered this, but Beetlepaw interrupted her answer.

"You want to hunt _mice_? You're acting like a Thunderclan cat! This _Riverclan,_ where we hunt _fish_."

Emberpaw's fur began to ruffle. "It would be a good source of prey in Leaf-bare, when the river freezes, and I'm not a Thunderclan cat any more than you are one of those mice that you seem to hate." I replied, smirking as Beetlepaw's mentor nodded, looking surprised.

"Emberpaw's right; the mice could help us be well-fed during Leaf-bare. I think we should give it a chance." The white warrior looked to Robinflight.

"I guess we could give it a try, so let's show them the hunting crouch." She sounded unsure, but determined.

She bent down, raising her haunches and lying flat her ears, focusing on a leaf. She made a couple of adjustments, and then pounced directly on the leaf.

"Congratulations," Lilyflower purred, "You caught a leaf, Robinflight!"

Looking embarrassed, Robinflight stood up and flicked her tail towards the three apprentices.

"Your turn." she instructed them on how to balance themselves on their paws, careful to keep notice of the wind so the prey wouldn't scent them.

"Thank Starclan we don't have to do all of this for fishing!" Troutpaw muttered as Robinflight adjusted his posture for the second time.

Once Robinflight had deemed Emberpaw's crouch to be to her standards, Emberpaw got up and cocked her head.

"How _do_ you fish?" she inquired.

Pebblethorn answered her. "It's all about patience. You wait on the bank for a fish to come by, and you," he got up and demonstrated with his paws as he continued, "Hook you claws under the fish as you dart by, and give it the kill-bite so it doesn't hop away!"

"And you have to position yourself so your shadow doesn't alarm the fish," Lilyflower added.

"Yes, and that," Pebblethorn admitted.

After making the way back to the camp, Emberpaw was exhausted. She and Troutpaw made their way over to the caves, a fish in each of their jaws. Beetlepaw, who followed them, mumbled around her fish,

"Why does _she_ of all cats get to sleep with Troutpaw? There are plenty of empty caves…" Beetlepaw continued with her grumbling, but Emberpaw was too busy fighting that warm feeling in her chest. Troutpaw said there were no empty caves… had he really wanted her to sleep in his cave with him? Maybe.

After eating, she and Troutpaw were just settling down to share tongues when an ear-splitting yowl came from the medicine den. A light brown she-cat came stumbling out into the open, collapsing in a sobbing pile. Lilyflower and Maplebelly were the first to get to her. Troutpaw, upon hearing the She-cats sobbing, shot up and bounded over, fear in his river blue eyes. Almost all of the clan was gathering around the she-cat, still sobbing hysterically.

"Leafkit! Leafkit… No! Why…" she cried out. Troutpaw's head was low, tears falling down to his muzzle and deep sorrow in his eyes.

Lost, Emberpaw found Thunderpelt and whispered in his ear,

"What's going on…?"

"That's Troutpaw's mother, Wetstone. Her newest litter, Whitekit and Leafkit, came down with greencough. Whitekit made it through, but…" sadness was heavy in his mew. The whole clan, it seemed, had an aura of despair, cats sobbing quietly and misery in every eye she met. Then, another cat came out of the medicine den, a ragged, grey tom.

"That's Stormwater, our medicine cat," Thunderpelt whispered into her ear at her perplexed expression. "You haven't met him yet because he was taking care of the two kits."

Just then, a small white tom climbed from the den, also, and came over to his mother, who was shaking, her eyes blank.

"Mommy? Where's Leafkit? And, why is everyone so sad…?" Whitekit was huddled away by Maplebelly, along with his mother and Troutpaw.

What was Emberpaw supposed to do? Sure, she was sad, but she didn't feel the hopeless despair that it seemed the other cats were feeling. Was she supposed to sit vigil, or would the other cats see it as offensive, because she never knew Leafkit? What would she say to Troutpaw? At the thought of his name, her chest throbbed painfully. She knew what it felt like, to lose a sibling. Sure, Stripepaw didn't die, but she was sure the concept was similar.

She started to pad to her nest, weariness making each step harder. Suddenly, she had an idea, on how to make sure Troutpaw felt at least a little bit better.

"Hey, Robinflight? Where's the best place to collect moss?"

_**TROUTPAWS POV**_

Troutpaw had just gotten back from sitting vigil, the moon starting to disappear and the slightest bit of sun was peeking through the cracks in the far-off trees. Finally getting to his and Emberpaw's cave, he sleepily padded to his nest, only it was a lot bigger then he remembered. His eyes adjusting to the dark hole, he saw his nest had been completely rebuilt, with new reeds and brambles, and pawfuls of green moss. Then, he noticed swan feathers, gently lining the edge. Confused, he glanced to the sleeping calico cat. When he studied her closely, his heart almost stopped with gratitude. There Emberpaw slept, with moss stuck behind one of her ears and a sawn feather on her nose.

Just then, Emberpaw's nose twitched, and the feather fell to the cave floor. Warmth filling his actions, he licked her ear affectionately and laid down for, hopefully, a dreamless sleep.

**AWWWW that was so sweet of Emberpaw! 3 … but are her dreams okay? Troutpaw thought she seemed a little restless….**

**Okay, THANKYOU ALL FOR READING! Please please please vote for Emberpaw's warrior name, the poll is located on my profile page! **

'**till next time, **

**ME~~**


	8. Dreams Had and Words Spoken

**Hey! Back again? :D thanks again! Okay, a couple things I felt I had to state:**

**Did ANYONE notice Leafkit's connection with earlier chapters…?**

**PLEASE vote in Emberpaw's poll! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE it can be found on my profile page!**

**A Special Thanks To:**

**ALL of the guest comments and reviews****; omg, ya'll made me smileeee**

**Bramblewhisker88;**** only time will tell the answers to your questions: P**

**Orangeflight****of Shadowclan;**** good! That's how ur supposed to feel :P *I kinda hate her, too***

**Blazing Ice Dragon; ****aww! I makes me just as excited when I see reviews like that!**

**Smokeblade27; I guess you're right! I wasn't really trying, but its true now that I think about it **

**I am going to try and make this the longest chapter ive made so far, and…**

**I check into my story info last night, in all seven chapters, I had EXACTLY 9,666 words! The devil is watching over me o.0**

**Okay, enjoy! **

_She was in a field, it was large, spanning as far as her eyes could see. Butterflies were everywhere; so she decided to chase this big, black and white one. She chased it for what seemed like forever, jumping over lush grass and patches of moss. The butterfly's wings beat erratically, and it seemed to tire as they both got closer to the edge of the field. _

_Now she could see the edge. It had unhealthy looking trees, hung over and drooping sadly. The air seemed colder, harsher the closer she got to the dead forest. Then, almost at once, she heard cats fight and the metallic tang of blood coated her mouth. _

_She felt the need to chase the sound, she was too curious to just go back to chasing the butterflies. Besides, even if she wanted to, the butterflies then fell to the ground. Dead._

_Blowing that off, though, she padded slowly into the dank undergrowth, almost all of which was spattered in blood. Slowing when she came to the source of fighting, she hid and peeked through the dead ferns to the clearing ahead. _

_There were too many cats to count, big and small, tom and she-cat alike. Fighting with their claws unsheathed. What were they fighting over? The land? The forest, she thought, was nothing worth fighting for, here. Thinking she heard a familiar voice, she scanned the mass of yowling cats for anyone she knew. Suddenly, a familiar calico she-cat padded over. Emberpaw?! _

_No, it couldn't be. This cat was much bigger, a full warrior, not a still growing apprentice. But she had the exact same calico markings on her body, in all the same places… Then, she noticed other things, like how this cat's ears were ripped, and small scars ran across her body._

_And how this she-cat's eyes were blood red._

_The bigger cat started to speak, when a ragged purr broke her off._

_A glowing, silver she-cat brushed past the calico warrior, blood exchanging from one pelt to another, and this cat's glow didn't seem so pure anymore. The aura around her got darker, becoming instead a gloomy grey. The blood on her fur began to shift; it seemed to come alive, each crimson drop migrating to her forehead, where a star soon took form. _

_Fear began to leak into her mind, at this huge silver she-cats evil look. What was going to happen to her? _

_The cat spoke:_

"_What is your name, little 'paw?" her voice was as sweet as honey, but her appearance seemed to cancel out how welcoming it sounded._

_Not wanting to tell this scary cat her name, she tried to resist, but her mind became clouded when she met the red eyes' gaze. Why wouldn't she tell this cat her name…? It wouldn't hurt her, so why won't she tell her…_

"_Beetlepaw," she whispered, dazed as the bigger she-cat broke the connection. Her fangs that stuck out of her mouth, even when her jaw was closed, made her smile feral as she circled around the calico warrior. Turning her gaze back to Beetlepaw, she mewed contently,_

"_My name is Silverdust, the leader around here. This is Fall," she said, flicking her tail towards the calico cat, "Welcome to the Darkforest, Beetlepaw. Would you like to see what we're doing?" with all of her heart, she wanted to refuse this big she-cat what she was asking, but with another meeting with those eyes, she didn't see anything wrong with just observing…_

Emberpaw woke to Troutpaw's muzzle in her neck fur.

"Thank you, for what you did last night," He said happily, helping her up and picking moss out from Emberpaw's fur.

"I also did it for Wetstone and…" she was caught by a yawn, her jaw stretching painfully from her already sore mouth from carrying all of that moss. "And Whitekit's nest. I'm sorry I wasn't there to greet you when you came in." Troutpaw looked startled. "You tried to stay up and wait for me?" a deep purr rumbled in his chest, his tail twining happily with her tired one. With a lick to Emberpaw's cheek, they both made their way to the fresh-kill pile for their morning meal.

~A Half-moon later~

Seeing a huge Rainbow fish, she bounded over and grabbed it, overbalanced by its weight. Troutpaw walked over, studying her with an amused gaze.

"Don't just stand there, help me!" she spoke around the fish, her voice coming out muffled and almost unintelligible.

Troutpaw got up and circled her, a mischievous gaze in his crystal blue eyes.

"And what do I get for helping you?" he purred.

Emberpaw rolled her eyes, "The fish is for you too, frog-brain."

He chuckled. "Good enough," and helped her carry the big fish to the outcropping of rock. The fish, looing bigger than ever, looked like too much for just the two of them. Searching for the dark brown apprentice, she called Beetlepaw over. She she-cat looked tired, almost asleep on her paws.

"Are you okay, Beetlepaw? You look sick," Emberpaw asked.

The brown apprentice looked at her, almost fearfully.

"Yeah, I'm—I'm okay" she stuttered, avoiding her eyes and padding quickly away.

"Forget her, Emberpaw! She's just being a fish-face." Troutpaw assured her, Nodding, she shook thoughts of the apprentice out of her head.

The day passed by rather quickly, she ended going on a hunting patrol with Troutpaw and their mentors, along with Maplebelly. By the time they were done, the sun was setting and Reedstar was organizing who would be going to the gathering tonight.

The gathering! Emberpaw had completely forgotten! A little selfishly, she hoped Reedstar wouldn't pick Troutpaw either so they could _both_ stay behind.

A small group of chosen cats was slowly growing bigger as Reedstar chose the precipitants.

"Let's see… Maplebelly, Moonstream, Mosstail, Swiftcurrent, and, of course, Robinflight. You might as well bring Emberpaw along… and, oh, you too, Webwisker…" Reedstar surprised not just her with these words.

Cats began to mumble and mutter, but nothing was spoken about it louder than a whisper. Soon, they were ready to take off, Emberpaw was sure to find Thunderpelt straight away. Walking alongside him, they crossed Shadowclan sent lines, only to cross them again moments later. What seemed like moons of just walking past the same trees over and over and_ over_, they made it to Fourtrees.

The four giant oaks stood proudly over the clearing, their leaves lush and green. There were so many cats! More cats than Emberpaw had ever seen were sharing tongues and laughing and chatting. The musty sent of Shadowclan, followed by the wild and airy smell of Windclan hit her senses.

Then, Thunderclan. To her confusion, it made her nose crinkle, the forest smell radiating off their fur was surprisingly unpleasant. Thunderpelt, mistaking my crinkled nose for something else, flicked her ear and herded her towards the other Riverclan cats.

"Emberpaw, this is my mother, Lavenderbreeze, the one who I told you switched clans so she could raise her new kits." She nodded to the Light grey she-cat, her violet eyes calming her almost instantly.

"Let's take a walk, shall we?" she murmured, her voice sweet, like a lullaby. Emberpaw shot a glance to Thunderpelt, who nodded.

They walked the perimeter of the clearing, meeting no cats on the way. Lavenderbreeze, her voice taking on a lecturing tone, was ignored by Emberpaw, not wanting to her the 'I understand how you feel' and 'it fades with time'. Warriors had told her that, also.

Done with their 'walk', Emberpaw thanked her and almost ran away, slamming straight into a Thunderclan apprentice.

"Get off, you fish-face!" the tom growled, she Emberpaw's heart stopped when she saw his face.

Her own brother, had just called her a fish-face, and the tone was not joking.

Looking into his eyes, she waited for him to apologize, for him to say that he thought she was someone else. He didn't.

He continued glaring into her eyes, irritation and hate filled his gaze.

"Stripepaw! It's me, Emberpaw, your _sister_," she said, hurt.

"You are no sister of mine. My sisters _dead_." He growled, punctuating dead, like it was an insult.

"Now, get out of my way, you Riverclan filth." With that said, he brushed roughly past.

Emberpaw was lost. Stripepaw didn't love her anymore. Why, though? She was his _sister,_ for Starclan's sake! Searching for another familiar face, she padded over to Amberpelt, who had become a warrior two moons before in Thunderclan. She spotted Emberpaw before she could say anything to get the Dark brown warrior's attention.

"Emberpaw! How are you!?" she purred, plenty of cats glancing over at her outburst. Ducking her head in embarrassment, she dragged Amberpelt to the recesses of the trees. Amberpelt was about to start licking her ear, when she winced and backed away.

"What's wrong?" I inquired, confused.

"Well, it's just… you smell really… fishy!" with that, she held her tail over her nose.

Seeing the look on Emberpaw's face, Amberpelt began to stumble over her words, "But- at least your furs all smooth and you don't look like you're starving any! Not that you look fat or anything, I just mean…" she shut up then, stiffening as she realized something.

"Stripepaw said we couldn't talk to you." And with that, she padded almost fearfully away. Dejected and lonely, Emberpaw sat and waited for the gathering to just be over.

The Leaders announced their news, Windclan followed by Shadowclan, and then Cloudstar spoke.

"Prey is running well, and we are pleased to announce the Apprenticeship of Stripepaw, Nightpaw, and Redpaw." He waited for the congratulations to die down.

"Riverclan?" and motioned for them to go on with their report.

Reedstar, looking a bit disgruntled, announced the prey was well, blah blah blah, and then he announced the new apprentices.

"I'd like to welcome Troutpaw and Beetlepaw, along with former Thunderclan Emberpaw, though we are pleased to say she's as much Riverclan as any one of us, now."

Confusion circulated the clans. Emberpaw remembered that no one had heard of her moving clans. Cloudstar looked irritated. It was obvious he was trying not to stir up any trouble, but Emberpaw was more thankful than ever Reedstar brought it up. _If he was trying not to cause trouble_, she thought sourly, _he shouldn't have given her up so easily_. For the first time, she realized with a start, she was _proud _to be Riverclan. She honestly didn't want to be in a clan that didn't want to fight for her.

When everything died down, the Gathering was called to a close, and the clans began to separate, padding back to their camps with the full moon as a guide. She began walking towards the Riverclan groups when she was yanked by the tail into an outcropping of bushes. Fighting to keep her claws sheathed because of the truce, she cuffed her attacker hard on his ear.

"Ouch, Emberpaw! Kill me, why don't you!" Nightpaw growled playfully. He had grown bigger, the same size as her now. She huffed and started to pad away, not wanting to put up with anymore Thunderclan fish-brains, when he whispered in her ear,

"Look, just meet me here in a half-moon! Please, Emberpaw." She made no inclination that she noticed him, but inside her heart was thumping. He didn't treat her differently, though his asking her to meet him went against the Warrior code, so she wouldn't do it. Emberpaw began walking back with her clan, keeping her focus on her paws as she walked so she wouldn't stumble in the dark, the moon not providing enough light to puncture the thick canopy of trees.

They finally made it past the entrance, and were met with the few cats who waited for them to come back home. Without thinking, she just tiredly dragged herself into her nest, pausing to say hello to a half-asleep Troutpaw. She closed her eyes.

_She was in a lake, swimming. She was happy and content, paddling happily towards this island, huge and lush. But, as she got closer, the green gave way to brown and black, the trees looking more dead than alive. She didn't want to go to this scary island, but her paws were becoming numb and it was the only land she could see._

_When she made it ashore, it was completely silent. No birds calling, no whispers of wind through the trees, nothing. Looking around, she almost collided with a large, white glowing she-cat. One of her ears was torn, and her fangs were so large they stuck out of her jaw when her mouth was closed. She had fear in her eyes, blood covered her paws and her tail hung low. _

"_Help! You have to help, they attacked me! Please, come and help, Emberpaw!" Emberpaw didn't ask how this glowing cat knew her name, but she did rush with her into the forest, following the she-cats lead as she went deeper and deeper into the forest. _

_If Emberpaw had been face to face with the she-cat, she would've seen an evil smirk and those blue eyes melting to red, a star forming on her forehead…_

**Did you guys like that? If u did comment! Request! Let me know how this chapter made you feel!**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY! If you were Emberpaw, what would've you had said to Stripepaw? **

**I would've smacked him...**

**Thanks for reading! 'till next time, **

**ME~~~~~ **


	9. Fights and New Names

**Hello! Again, thank you for all of your continued support; it's a major confidence boost**

**COMMENTS=MOTIVATION=CHAPTERS**

**Hurry! Although Emberpaw's warrior ceremony hasn't even been thought of by mwah, I need votes for her warrior name poll, which can be found on my PROFILE PAGE!**

**Want to be in my story? Post your warrior cat name in my comments or PM me if you want to give me a more in-depth personality of the cat.**

**Sorry if this comes a bit late; I'm on vacation and I'm posting when I have Wi-Fi :/**

**Enjoy! ~**

It tookEmberpaw two days to remember everyone's name. The Darkforest, which she had nicknamed the dead forest, had since grown to be like a second home, she would come every night once she fell asleep, greeting her friends and train to fight, learning moves that Robinflight hadn't even thought of.

She thought about this now, as she padded through the lifeless trees towards the training area. She could already hear the hissing and growling, most likely Scratch and Claw, fighting, as usual. Scratch, a burly brown warrior, hated Claw, his sister, who was a lighter brown. They are constantly aggressive; they were actually the first cats she had fought.

Silverdust said they were below her level. They don't come near her anymore.

A moment later, she came into the hollow, glancing happily at the cats around her, big and small. Some were still apprentices, and some were senior warriors. She saw Beetlepaw, and Emberpaw bounded over. As always, her paws were covered in blood as she ran over, making small noises against the hard packed earth. Cats around the edge were sitting, licking their wounds with their ears down. The cats towards the middle were all surrounding the current fight, Eye and Rain.

Pushing past the yowling warriors, she was finally able to see, and she wasn't disappointed. Actual training didn't start until moon high, so these fights could be as bloody as we wanted, as long as they could move later.

Silverdust didn't like it when they couldn't.

Eye had Rain in a death hold; she was struggling weakly, trying to claw his underbelly with her hind legs. Eye glanced down at her, amused. Without removing his claws from her throat, he leaned over and bit one of her legs, and with a weak whimper she went limp.

This was the third time she had lost this moon; she would have to speak with Fall or Silverdust. Before she even finished this thought, Fall padded into the ring. The cats cleared and made a path for her, and we all bared our necks in submission. She purred at our surprised looks, Fall didn't usually help in training.

"You may return to normal," she spoke, her voice ringing around the clearing.

Emberpaw admired Fall, and her ability to steal the attention of every cat, which is exactly what she did now.

"Now, we will be learning a new move, can I have two volunteers?" her face was amused, wanting to see who was brave enough to offer their help.

Emberpaw, along with a few others raised their tails. Fall's eyes darted to me, pleased. Getting up, Fall padded over to Emberpaw, so she bared her neck again.

"Return to your position," she whispered so only Emberpaw could hear.

"Now, look at this," she raised her voice so everyone could hear. "Emberpaw offers herself as a volunteer, even though she is the newest of us all, and she knows what usually happens to the volunteers. She's braver than half of you, and she's also half your size. _Pathetic._" Silverdust spoke that last word with a hiss, and she guided Emberpaw towards the middle. Remembering that she still needed one other cat, she beckoned for Splash. The tan tabby seemed to swim through the crowd of cats, happily moving to the center.

Silverdust turned her attention to Emberpaw.

"Now, you will be doing a turn-strike. You remember how to do this?" Emberpaw nodded, a turn-strike was one of the first moves she had been taught in the dead forest. Silverdust turned to Splash.

"you, will be doing…" Silverdust's voice dropped so she couldn't Emberpaw couldn't hear. Splash loved nervous. She was all talk, but as soon as she got into the fight, she was afraid and scared.

When Silverdust was done, she turned to the crowd.

"Splash will try and stop Emberpaw's attack. Even if she is not successful, this will turn into a normal fight; you win when your opponent is unable to fight." This last part was spoken to us, and we nodded, turning to face each other.

Taking a deep breath, Emberpaw reared up on her hind legs, and was about to do the turn-strike, when a thought crossed her mind. Silverdust didn't say she had to do the move _right away,_ so she decided to play with Splash a bit; plus, she could see what kind of move she was going to use on the turn-strike.

With that, she got into the position of the move she was to do, and she saw Splash's muscles tighten in anticipation. One thing she never thought about: the forepaw slash was the same position as the Turn-strike. Emberpaw went to do the strike, and when she saw Splash move she darted away. Splash continued with her counter attack, slashing at thin air where Emberpaw's belly would've been_. So that's what she was going to do,_ she thought. Before Splash could regain her balance, Emberpaw executed her turn-strike.

A red haze hindered her vision, but Emberpaw didn't mind.

Fall was the one who stopped her. Splash was on the ground, staining the sand red with her blood. Did she do _this_? It didn't bother Emberpaw much, but she didn't remember anything in a fight after the red haze came on. Fall, looking mildly surprised, turned towards the other cats, which were either looking dumbstruck, scared, or impressed.

"Does anyone else want to do the turn-strike counter? Anyone?" she asked again, at the wary faces of the cats.

"Well, go have fun, and I shall go speak to Silverdust about today's training." Fall padded away into the shadows, and the groups of cats broke up and started chatting. Emberpaw's friends, Rock, Moon, and Bark came over, laughing loudly and talking about the fight.

"Did you see her," Moon crowed, "My little Emberpaw practically _killed_ her!" she ducked her head under her grey friend's praise, laughing along with them as Bark pretended to be Splash trying to fight back against Rock, who was me. Laughing again at Bark's fish-brained movements, she was distracted by Fall's yowl.

"All cats old enough to fight, gather at the blood river for a meeting!" racing with her friends, she bounded over to the river, the water looking thick and dark, exactly like blood.

Silverdust leapt up onto a dead log by the river, and we all bared our necks.

"Return," she commanded sweetly, her red, cold gaze passing onto each of us.

"Today, so Fall here tells me, we have another cat worthy to join our forces. Emberpaw, walk forward."

Puffing out her chest at her friend's silent cheers, she padded to the log and bared her neck to Silverdust.

"Emberpaw, from now on, here you shall be known as Red. Welcome to the forces." As Emberpaw licked the white cat's shoulder, the sharp tang of blood turned her mouth sour. Trying not to grimace, she shone from her friends loud cheers, louder than the other yowls of congratulation and approval.

Her friends met Emberpaw halfway there, calling out her new name and daring her for another fight.

"Red! Come on! Let's see who's better; you or Rock!" Emberpaw was about to agree when she felt the familiar pull in her stomach.

"Sorry! I'm waking up, I'll see you tonight!" she yowled as she faded, feeling disorientated as everything went dark.

Yawning, Emberpaw uncurled from her next and stretched, licking Troutpaw's ear and waking him.

"Nooo," Troutpaw groaned, taking Emberpaw by surprise and pulling her into his chest. He nuzzled his muzzle into her neck, shifting so she was comfortable. "Can we just stay like this?" he mumbled around her neck, the vibrations not helping her chest, which had the familiar warm tingling.

Purring, she slid skillfully from his hold and pulled him up by the tail. He stumbled, still tired, and she found herself propping herself under him as he orientated himself. Thanking her with a lick to the cheek, he bounded out into the stormy camp, skidding to the base of the rocks and padding to the fresh-kill pile. Following after him, she found a dry spot to eat.

Later on, after the rain let up a bit, Reedstar called them for a gathering.

"Today, at moon-high," he announced after the voices died down, "We will send a patrol to encounter Windclan's night patrol, and we will show them to steal from our territory!"

Emberpaw joined in on the cheers with the rest of the clan, not feeling Silverdust's happy, invisible glare.

**Hello! Did you guys like?! I hope **** comments about the story? Requests? Cat names? Comment! PM me! Give me feedback cause COMMENTS=MOTIVATION=CHAPTERS!**

**Got any Windclan names? I need some! Post your Windclan names in the comments or in a PM, and ill be sure to include you:)**

**Thanks for the views, 'till next time,**

**ME~**


	10. Thunderclan, Riverclan, and Darkforest

Hello! I thought some readers would benefit from a small chapter with all of the cats in an Erin Hunter-like fashion, so here! Includes Thunderclan, Riverclan, and some of the Darksouls

Thunderclan

**Clan leader:** Cloudstar- fluffy grey and black tom

**Deputy:** Duskfur- Black tom with white paws

**Medicine cat: **Ivytail- pure white she-cat

WARRIORS

Windpelt- tortoiseshell she-cat

Whitestream- white tom with grey markings along back and tail

Starfall- White tom with white spots on eyes and paws

Apprentice: (Formerly) Emberpaw

Amberpelt- Dark brown she-cat with lighter face markings

Smallshadow- small black tom

Apprentice: Stripepaw

Greybloom- dappled grey and white she-cat *Cloudstar's mate*

Streamshine- blue/grey she-cat

Morningbird- light grey long haired she-cat

Frogleap- dappled tabby tom

Heroncall- Dark grey tom

Rainsky- long-ish haired grey tom with white highlights

APPRENTICES

(Formerly) Emberpaw- calico she-cat

Stripepaw- light grey tom with darker stripes along body

QUEENS

Gingertail- ginger shorthair she-cat

Kits: Nightkit- pure black tom

Redkit- reddish-brown tom

ELDERS

Willowbark- old, brown she-cat with bad eyesight

Riverclan

**Clan leader: **Reedstar- light brown tom

**Deputy: **Robinflight- pale grey she-cat

Apprentice: Emberpaw

**Medicine cat: **Stormwater- ragged, grey tom

WARRIORS

Hailheart- tan tabby tom

Maple belly- brown she-cat with lighter chest and underbelly

Moonstream- silver grey she-cat

Mosstail- dappled tabby tom

Lilyflower- White she-cat with black ears and feet

Apprentice: Beetlepaw

Swiftcurrent- light grey she-cat

Raggedear- dark brown tom with torn ears

Lakestep- tan she-cat

Nighttallon- Black tom

Webwisker- White she-cat with grey rings

Pebblethorn- Pure white tom

Apprentice: Troutpaw

Thunderpelt- silver grey tom with darker face markings

APPRENTICES

Beetlepaw- Dark brown she-cat with Black underbelly

Troutpaw- light grey tabby tom

Emberpaw- Calico she-cat

QUEENS

Wetstone- light brown she-cat

Kits: Whitekit- white tom

Leafkit- sickly black tom *Deceased*

ELDERS

Stonewisker- grumpy grey tom

Lakewillow- old, dappled grey she-cat

Darkforest

Silverdust- a seemingly white glowing she-cat with long-ish fur, red eyes, and a missing ear, along with countless scars and a blood star on her forehead.

Fall- Emberpaw's Darksoul, with the same pelt patterns, but her eyes are red, with only the smallest hint of green still there. Her body is bigger, fully grown, with small scars along her body. Silverdust's second-in-command.

Scratch- burly brown warrior tom; constantly fights with his sister.

Claw- light brown she-cat warrior; constantly fights with her brother.

Eye- black and white tom with one green eye and one blue.

Rain- silver she-cat with black dots along her body

Splash- tan tabby she-cat

Rock- black tom with a fluffy tail

Moon- light grey she-cat with black paws and ears

Bark- brown and white tom

**Did I miss anyone? *gods, I hope not!* enjoy, and I hope this cleared up some stuff :)**

'**till next time, **

**ME!**


	11. Plans and Meetings

**Hai! Again, it makes me so happy when I see all of these comments, favorites, poll votes, follows, ect. It just makes my day 3 I love you guys! DID YOU KNOW: I have yet to have a mean comment? *Knocks on wood***

**I think I just jinxed myself O.0**

**Okay, a couple of shout-outs, *I apologize if I miss anyone :/***

**StormxRaven****: haha maybe :)**

**Smokeblade27****: hehe, ur comments always make me smile :D thanks for the names, u may see a few in here! *When I say maybe, I really don't know, my fingers just take over; I don't even know what will happen yet 0.e***

**Guests****: thanks for all of your continued support :)**

**Okay, the usual: *I promise I'll be quick!***

**VOTE ON EMBERPAW'S WARRIOR NAME POLL! Please…?**

**Review! Comment! Request! **

**If you would to be in the story, give me a name, (you could end up a Darksoul, though, so if u doesn't like being evil…) and a personality!**

**COMMENTS=MOTIVATION=CHAPTERS**

**Enjoy! 3**

Emberpaw and Beetlepaw were helping Stormwater set up herbs for the injuries that were sure to occur, both slightly disappointed that they wouldn't be fighting.

"You both are too young," Robinflight had explained, but that didn't mean anything to them, as they were being trained by the Darkforest, for Starclan's sake! But, even though they were too young, Troutpaw was going? It felt like they were just using age as an excuse. Although, other things had been on Emberpaw's mind.

Nightpaw's request was echoing in her head, and she began to doubt her mind's earlier judgment. Was it really that bad, to meet him? It's not like she was going to give sensitive information about Riverclan, or she would do anything with him, he would probably not even show up!

Emberpaw's head began processing the ways she could disappear from her clan without notice. Beetlepaw, who was next to her cleaning out the medicine cat's nest, had since grown closer to Emberpaw and would cover for her, if needed.

"Hey, Beetlepaw," she hissed, trying not to disturb Stormwater, who absorbed in his work. The brown apprentice's head whipped around, and she nudged with her muzzle for Emberpaw to help with the dirty bedding. Grabbing a mouthful of stale moss, they padded out of the den and to the dirtplace, where they tossed the soiled material.

"What do you need," Beetlepaw asked happily. She had been in a good mood ever since Fall had complemented her on her battle moves.

"I am going out tonight, and I need you to cover for me. Could you do that for me?" Emberpaw asked, keeping her eyes on the darkening sky to hide her nervousness.

"Are you leaving the territory?" Beetlepaw questioned, excited.

"Yes, but it's not anything important," Emberpaw said, forcing her eyes to stay on the clouds, and not looking guiltily on the ground.

"Oh… does it have to do with the Darkforest?" she inquired, her head cocked to one side, confused.

"No…" she shifted her paws, uncomfortable with her friend's interview.

Beetlepaw squinted at her, the confusion melting into excitement and understanding.

"It has to do with a tom, doesn't it!" wincing as Beetlepaw started squealing, her tail flicking Emberpaw's ears, asking questions about the 'cute tom' and what clan he was from.

"Look, it's not like that! He told me to meet him; I haven't seen him since he was a kit!"

Beetlepaw only heard one piece of information from her annoyed exclamation.

"I _knew_ it! He's a Thunderclan tom, huh? What's he look like?" she pushed, eager for information.

Emberpaw just gave in. "His name is Nightpaw. His fur is black, and he has these light blue eyes, and…" she drifted off, Beetlepaw hanging onto her every word. "And…?" she prompted, kneading the dirt in enthusiasm.

Emberpaw cuffed her not-so-gently on the ears. "And nothing. I'm just going so I can… ask him what he wants."

"Who are you trying to convince, me or you?" Beetlepaw shot, purring loudly as her tail began to fluff in embarrassment.

"Look, will you cover for me, or not?"

"Emberpaw, come here!" Troutpaw called, chin deep in the river's smooth waters. Greenleaf was in full swing, and the sun was blistering, even as it was about to sink below the tree line. Swimming over, she was suddenly pulled under.

Struggling, she twisted and was about to unsheathe her claws, when Troutpaw's training kicked in. she let herself go limp, and felt her hind leg be released from whatever had grabbed it. Opening her eyes to find a ray of sunlight in the murky water, she pushed her hind legs against the mushy ground, gasping when her head broke the surface and took in the air. Troutpaw surfaced next to her, laughing. _What…?_

"You don't know how relieved I am that you didn't take out your claws, I was trying to see if you remembered anything I taught you!" trying not to purr, Emberpaw swam to the edge and heaved herself halfway out, so her hind legs were still in the water. Copying her, Troutpaw pulled up next to her, letting their fur rub against each other as they panted slightly, tired from his antics.

She tensed slightly when something brushed against her tail, which was swirling lazily in the water.

"Very funny, Troutpaw."

"What?" he said, looking confused.

Terror rushed through her body, and she dragged herself from the water, pulling Troutpaw by the scruff as a huge, dark green mouth full of jagged teeth burst out of the water, right where they had been not a heartbeat ago. Not stopping to look back, they pelted back to the camp, where everyone stared at them. Still dripping water, Emberpaw bet they were both a sight to see.

"Something out in the river jumped out and almost tore our pelts off!" Troutpaw explained, panting and looking frightened.

Warriors instantly surrounded them, all asking questions about the beast that had attacked them.

After explaining what happened, a patrol of warriors were sent out, and the two apprentices were given each a piece of prey and the order to go relax.

The sun had since set, the patrol was about to go, and Beetlepaw had helped to create the perfect -if not simple- plan to disappear. Padding confidently to the medicine den, Emberpaw smoothed the rest of her fur from Troutpaw's tongue, again ignoring the warm feeling as she remembered his worried questions; if she was feeling okay, if she was hurt, if she needed anything. And the grooming that he insisted on giving her, he would've made Lilyflower proud.

Making it past the entrance, she soon found Stormwater and started the plan.

"Stormwater, is there anything you're low on? I could go out and grab some moss, or poppy seeds, of you would like." She tried to make her voice as sweet as possible, blinking innocently as he looked at her, surprised.

"Really? Usually I have to force an apprentice to do that! That would be great, I _am _low on moss, could you please go grab some?"

"Okay! I'll go to the edge of the territory and the places that we never go!" she said, bounding happily out of the clearing and out of the entrance, taking a sharp turn, seeing her huge pile of moss that she and Beetlepaw had collected, making sure the patrol hadn't seen it, as they left moments ago.

After being content at the moss's hiding spot, she bounded down the path that would take her to Fourtrees.

**Hey, sorry for the short chapter, I'm currently suffering from V.W.B. :/**

**(Vacation writer's block)**

**Comments, requests, names, you know the drill :)**

'**till next timmmmeeeee, **

**ME *who else…?***

**PS: Emberpaw and Stripepaw's interview coming soon; any questions you wanna ask them?**

**AND**

**PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE vote on Emberpaw's warrior name poll, witch can be could on my PROFILE PAGE! Yall are awesome **


	12. Scars and Blood

**INTERVIEW (THE WAYWAYWAY OVERDUE ONE) AFTER STORY!**

**ENJOY! **

"Whoa, you actually came?" Emberpaw heard, and spun around so fast she almost toppled over.

"Yes, I did, and could you please not scare me like that?!" Nightpaw looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I was just surprised that you came; you didn't look like you would at the gathering."

"Well, until yesterday, I wasn't going to." Emberpaw retorted.

"Oh, so I've been on your mind lately, have i?" he said, purring at her mortified glances.

"Anyways," Emberpaw spoke loudly, ignoring Nightpaw, "What is it that you were going to tell me?"

"What?" Nightpaw said, confused.

Emberpaw was starting to get irritated. "At the gathering? You said there was something you needed to tell me?"

"Oh, nothing really, I just said that so you would come."

"What?! And what in Starclan do you need me for, then?"

"I… I missed you, and I never got to apologize about your ear." Nightpaw said, glancing up at her slightly torn ear.

"My ears fine, it healed really – Wait, what do you mean, you missed me?"

"Well, you're great! I just mean- you were my friend, and I missed you when you left. I didn't even get to say goodbye, Gingertail took me back to the nursery when Riverclan came. Stripepaw was in tears; I had no idea what had happened until that night."

Emberpaw was silent. Thinking about it now, it must've been as confusing for him as it was for her, one of his two friends suddenly disappearing. She was about to speak, when she saw the moon, and realized she had to go, if she was to make it look like she had been picking moss. Knowing that it was the only way to make Nightpaw go, she chose her next words carefully.

"Nightpaw, thank you for apologizing for my ear, but bringing me out here, where we both could've gotten into major trouble, was far beyond necessary. I am Riverclan now, and you are a Thunderclan cat. We are not friends, we are… nothing. Okay?"

Nightpaw looked hurt, his ears down and tail drooping.

"Now, I have to go." Padding off, Emberpaw felt more and more guilty about what she had said; she knew she would regret it, but she had to say it.

"Congratulations on becoming an apprentice, Nightpaw." She called to his back, twisting her head back to facing forward, but not before seeing his happy, hopeful face look back at her.

Wariness tugged at her paws, the half-moon shining just enough light onto the wet stones to guide her way. Remembering her nightly training in the dead forest, her paws seemed even heavier. Stopping at where the moss was hidden, Emberpaw grabbed the biggest mouthful she could and tucked another under her jaw, like Robinflight had taught her.

"Emberpaw!" turning, for the second time that night being scared out of her wits, she saw a bleeding Troutpaw bound over to her.

"We won! We showed those mangy Windclan cats not to steal from us!" he was purring so loudly, Emberpaw couldn't help but join in, not being able to say anything with the moss in her mouth. Then she saw Troutpaw's wounds.

She dropped the moss, and dragged Troutpaw into the camp. The few cats who had been staying up had almost all fallen asleep, but Stormwater rushed over.

"Don't worry, it's just a scratch!" he exclaimed at Emberpaw's fretting. It looked a lot bigger than a scratch, stretching from his underbelly to his shoulder, at least a tail long. It was bleeding, though it seemed to be slowing down. Troutpaw, looking down at it with her, as Stormwater hurried into his den, looked slightly concerned.

"Well, it's a lot bigger than it…" Emberpaw looked up, just in time to see Troutpaw's head droop and for her to catch his body as it collapsed.

"Troutpaw!" another warrior exclaimed. Wetstone, she noticed. His mother helped Emberpaw carry him to the medicine den, where Stormwater looked even more worried.

"Emberpaw, look for any other small scratches that Troutpaw has, and lick this into them," Stormwater instructed, giving her a leaf covered in a foul-smelling poultice. She began licking it into his ears, which were torn and caked with dried blood. Emberpaw's chest, which was always warm around Troutpaw, was now cold. Was he okay? His breathing was shallow, and his forehead furrowed, as if he was in pain, even as he slept.

After what seemed like moons, Stormwater finished with Troutpaw.

"I did all that I can do, just let him sleep. Wetstone," Stormwater addressed the worried mother, "He will have a scar from this, you know."

Wetstone bristled. "What, do you think I won't love him anymore, if he is scarred?"

"No," Stormwater said, bowing his head, "But I just wanted you to know. His fur will grow over it, but it will always be there."

"I will love him anyways." Stormwater nodded, and went to check on the other cats.

"Emberpaw," Wetstone addressed her, "Would you mind staying in here for the night with him? I have to look after Whitekit, and he seems to really like you, the way he speaks about you."

This was news to her. Troutpaw spoke about her? The familiar warm spark ignited in her stomach and chest, but it was put out by the cold worry of his well-being. Nestling down in the large nest, Emberpaw drifted off to sleep, comforted by the silver cat's steady breaths.

Emberpaw woke in the all too familiar dead forest. She lightened when she saw her friends, who were calling her over to help her with a new fighting move.

"Red, come over here! I need to show Moon here that you are way stronger than her!" Rock yowled, catching the attention of the other cats, which started streaming over. Emberpaw didn't understand how, but whenever her name was spoken, or when she was present, cats started listening to her; they watched her fight and asked for help on battle moves. No cat wanted to fight against her in the practices, and the cat that Fall or whoever the trainer chose was worse for the wear.

Emberpaw waited as Rock and Bark decided a way to show who was stronger. Moon looked scared, but she was trying not to show it. Emberpaw just shrugged as Bark explained the rules; whoever pinned the other down for five heartbeats won.

Rock started the fight. "Claws can be used, but not teeth," he warned them both. Emberpaw sat, waiting for Moon to make her move. Moon was strong, but slow. Emberpaw would let her charge, then jump out of the way, and hop on her back. Moon had the advantage, being bigger, but Emberpaw was planning on being too quick for that to affect her.

Doing just what she planned Moon would do, the grey and black she-cat rushed at her, claws aimed for her eyes. Hopping out of the way, she launched herself onto Moon's back, then jumping off as she annoyed cat slammed her back into the ground, where Emberpaw had been not a heartbeat ago. Everything going as planned, Emberpaw took advantage of the dazed cat and jumped on her underbelly, cutting off her air with one paw, and the other tearing at her soft underbelly.

Bark began counting. "…Three, four, and five!" Emberpaw jumped of, saying nothing as the crowd rushed around her, congratulating her and offering to go against whomever. Escaping, Emberpaw slipped into the trees to grab her breath.

"That was impressive, back there, Red." For hopefully the last time that night, Emberpaw was surprised, twisting her neck into a submissive gesture quickly to not anger Silverdust.

"You may return," she instructed, sitting and wrapping her red-stained tail around blood caked paws. Emberpaw followed suit, fighting the urge to clean her own bloody paws.

"You are getting good, Red. I'm proud of you." The praise coursed through her, clouding her mind with happiness.

"But, you are far from perfect." Her voice, usually rough, was now sweet, clouding Emberpaw's mind and making it hard to think.

"You need to take lessons from Fall from now on, I think that will help." Emberpaw couldn't help but nod. Her head was fuzzy, full of fog. She felt her eyes begin to droop.

Silverdust stood up, pressing her muzzle against Emberpaw's, passing blood onto hers. The blood was moving, following along her coat to where her eyes were. _That's not possible_ she thought. She wanted to watch the blood and where it was going, but it was making her dizzy. Her eyes closed, and she slipped into another dream.

_Emberpaw was floating. The sky was dark; the ground was nowhere to be seen. Her head hurt, like ants were crawling inside it, biting it. Her paws were heavy. Her head hurt._

"_You are nobody," a voice inside her head whispered. "You are nothing." She felt sick, her head itching and hurting. Her paws were heavy. _

"_Nobody needs you. You are _nothing._" The voice was inside her, in her paws. She heard a whimper. A moment later, she realized it was hers._

_The scene around her changed. She was in the Riverclan clearing, invisible. _

"_Finally! I thought she'd never die!" a tom exclaims. She sees his face. Troutpaw._

"_I know what you mean; she was nothing but a hindrance. I'm glad she's gone!" Beetlepaw._

_She saw her body. It was twisted, broken. Blood was pooled around her. Cats were taking turns tearing at her body, laughing as it tore into gruesome shapes. Emberpaw was going to be sick. _

_The scene changed. She saw Silverdust, glowing and radiant. "Emberpaw! There you are! We need you!"_

_The pain was leaving her head. Her paws didn't feel so heavy. She walked towards the white glow. The needed her. Silverdust and the Darkforest needed her. She was needed. _

_She didn't mind the blood, leaving her body, flowing into Silverdust._

Me: hey! Sorry, this is way way way way way overdue: Emberpaw and Stripepaw's interview! So, I have no wi-fi, so I don't remember who asked what questions. I apologize, but I thank you all for –

Stripepaw: can we get this going? Im bored.

Me: *sigh* I was apologizing to my amazing viewers, mouse-brain

Stripepaw: so?

Me: SO, I don't want them to hate me for not giving them credit

Emberpaw: okay, okay. Stripepaw, you should apologize to—

Me: WAIT you cant use my name on this interview!

Stripepaw: why not?

Me: because… I just cant, okay? Personal information.

Stripepaw: Personal information? You mean, like when you –

Me: *covers Stripepaw's mouth with paw* okay, on here you can call me… Wildfire!

Emberpaw: Wildfire? Why that name?

Me: well, that was originally your name, Emberpaw, until I thought it sounded sort of weird for someone with you character.

Emberpaw: *Bristles* whats that supposed to mean?

Me: *Panic* nothing mean! I just ment that Wildfire was a bit more of a Rouge sounding name.

Emberpaw: okay… how about we get on with this interview…?

Me: oh yeah! (Forgot) First question: to Emberpaw and Stripepaw, whats your biggest fear?

Emberpaw: Um…

Stripepaw: bugs

Me: bugs?

Stripepaw: spiders

Me: what, like these? *Holds up plastic spiders with my paw*

Stripepaw: …!

Emberpaw: Stripepaw! Get down from that tree! We just started the interview!

Stripepaw: …

Me: Comeon, ill tell you the name you were supposed to have, if you come down!

Stripepaw: *Lands right next to Wildfire*

Me: dude!

Stripepaw: my name?

Me: well, I was going to make you Redkit/paw, but for some reason I typed Stripepaw instead, and didn't notice until I had already published the first story…

Stripepaw: oh, okay. I don't really mind.

Emberpaw: *Mutters* that was anti-climatic

Stripepaw: what?

Emberpaw: Nothing.

Me: okay! Emberpaw, your biggest fear…?

Emberpaw: Next question! Oh! It's for me! Ummm.. 'What did you think of Stripepaw's prophecy?'

Me: *sighs and mumbles something unintelligible*

Stripepaw: *Laughs loudly* I bet you're jealous that I have a prophecy and you don't!

Emberpaw: *Walks over and sits on Stripepaw*

Stripepaw: MMMPH!

Emberpaw: Wildfire, how am I supposed to answer that?! You haven't even thought about how I will feel about it!

Me: *Embarrassed* oh, yeah, sorry

Stripepaw: mmmmppphhh…

Me: you better get off of him, before he dies. I need him for the story…

Emberpaw: *gets off* I'm not jealous of you right now, dirt-face.

Stripepaw: can we please have the next question?

Me: okay, dirt-face. *Ducks a cuff to the ears* a question, for me? 'how is Emberpaw a calico, when Stripepaw, Heroncall, and Splashfur are grey?'

Me:…

Me:…

Me:…

Me: *Trying not to yell* this is a story about talking cats that follow a bunch of cat sprits that somehow correspond with real-life two-leg events, manage not to be detected by the said two-legs, never seem to run out of prey, and you're asking about genes and how Emberpaw looks different?! I'm sorry, let me follow the science rules that are obviously being followed in all of the books, and make Emberpaw grey!

*irritation so grand it has taken on a physical form, and blows Stripepaw away*

Emberpaw: but I don't wanna be grey! I like being white, orange, and black!

Me: exactly! *Glares at who ever asked that question, hoping they read this*

Stripepaw: *Claws back to us* next question, please?

Me: oh, yeah (Forgot again) uh, 'Emberpaw, have you not noticed how Fall looks exactly like you?'

Emberpaw: she does?! Usually, her fur is so bloody I can't tell what color her pelt were, well none what cat she looked similar to…

Stripepaw: *Lost* what? Who's Fall?

Me: *Ignoring Stripepaw* Next question! 'Emberpaw, if you were able to, what would you have said/done to Stripepaw when he was rude to you at the gathering?'

Stripepaw: oh, god… *Backs away*

Emberpaw: can we just ignore that? I'm pretty sure you still need him for the story…

Me: okay… *Not wanting a fight* for me, 'where did you get the idea for this story come from?'

Emberpaw: yeah, where did we come from?

Stripepaw: yeah, where?! Wherewhere!

Me: WELL, uhh… um one sec… *Checks when the word doc was first created* on the 27th of May, I typed up the first two paragraphs of the first chapter, but I sort of gave up; before I had a really low self-esteem and I gave up after two chapters… so when I made an account on here, I just picked this one up! :)

Stripepaw: *Yawns* what? Your heartfelt speech passed right through my head

Emberpaw: *Mutters* maybe because there was no brain in there to catch it…

Me: *Puts tail over Stripepaw's muzzle before he says things I can't put on here* NEXT question… for Stripepaw.. 'Do you like anyone?'

Stripepaw: well, I'm a tom, and so is both Redpaw and Nightpaw. So, not at the moment.

Me: Okay… I will wrap this up with one last question that will be asked solo; Emberpaw and Stripepaw, you can leave now.

Emberpaw: what? Without us, who will you as the question to? Is it for you?

Me: no, it's for Troutpaw

Stripepaw: oh, another fish-breath?

Emberpaw: come here, I wanna show you what I would've done at the gathering…

Me: *makes the siblings disappear with my magical writer's magical magic, and makes Troutpaw appear*

Troutpaw: what? Where am i?!

Me: a reader has a question for you!

Troutpaw: what, like what my name was supposed to be? I wanted that name, not Troutpaw! *pout*

Me: sorry, sorry! I know you were supposed to be named Hailpaw and your mentor Troutheart, but… Troutpaw sounds nicer than Hailpaw! Hailheart… he sounds hot, like Hawkheart 3

Troutpaw: *still pouting* are you done with your fangirling?

(Fangirling along with my future references to 'moe' and 'moe flowers' are Anime terms, and anyone comment me if they watch anime…? I need an anime buddie)

Me: okay, whoever asked me this question, I LOVE YOU for finally asking that I was asking myself :)

Me: 'Troutpaw, do you like Emberpaw?'

Troutpaw: *Moe beginning to flow into the air* well, she's really pretty, and I felt really sorry when I first met her, and—

Me: so you took advantage of my little Embie?!

Troutpaw: What, no! I mean… I like her, but I'm not sure… like, the elders think… ahhg! Whoever asked this question, you're giving me a migraine!

Me: OH, so, thinking about my Embie gives you a migraine?! Maybe I'll have her fall in love with Nightpaw, instead…

Troutpaw: NO! Please let me keep her! I like her! I just wish she would notice…

Me: *Makes him disappear, moe flowers turning brown around him*

*****P.S. I erased all interview memories from their little cat brains so it won't interfere with that story… ha-ha… that would be pretty funny though…*****

**I hope you all enjoyed the interview (I tried to make it funny and enlightening)**

**Rate! Comment! Request! Please?:) **

**COMMENTS=MOTIVATION=CHAPTERS *You guys have been good about that, though :'D**

**Okay, I have gotten a comment from *no wi-fi* someone, saying that they were confused. THANKYOU! Even though some people don't like giving negative comments, please, if youre confused or don't think something should've gone a certain way, please tell me, so I can improve!**

**NOTE: **_**soon,**_** I will be staring a new fanfic, a RISE OF THE GURDIANS fanfic :)**

'**till next time,**

**ME~!**


	13. New Clues and New Members

**Hello! I just love love love you guys, and all of your support!**

**A special thanks to:**

**Smokeblade27****: I love your comments; they always put a smile on my face! :D I guess it may be a sorta squirrelflight thingie, but idk, the plot isn't even completely thought of :P**

**ApocalyspeAmerican****: thanks for your continued support **** your ideas and suggestions are always so helpful! 3**

**Silver wolf rain****: really?! I didn't think the interview would be that funny :P**

**Featherwish of WindClan****: first: love ur name3 second: OMSC I will use that from now on, that's epic xD**

**StormxRaven****: well, im glad u liked the interview :)**

**Blazing Ice Dragon****: YAY! xD**

**BrightSun03****: ha-ha thanks for all of your comments! Actually, I'm not using just the old territories, but sort of a mixture of both…? Like, I use four trees and I will be using the moonpool… idk**

**Guests****: thanks for your support **

**I'm really surprised you all liked the interview, I MAY DO ANOTHER ONE IF I GET QUESTIONS! Comment them of PM me! 3**

**Emberpaw's warrior name poll is still up! Please vote! I have 14 votes; when I get twenty, ill post the top three names! **

**I'm still taking warrior cat names for the story, but please don't be offended if they don't show up idmeadately; it takes me a while to incorp new characters into this thing! **

**ENJOY!**

_**Nightpaw's POV**_

Nightpaw uncurled from his resting place, licking his brother, Redpaw, goodbye and following his mentor, Heroncall, into the forest to hunt.

"Go hunt over by the Riverclan border; see what you can find there." Heroncall said gruffly, nudging Nightpaw towards the thinning trees, where a faint trickle of the river could be heard in the gaps of the birds' happy chirping. The day was nice, the harsh sun shielded by thick trees, offering only a warm glow and the songs of birds.

"Is this my first hunting assessment?" he asked, pawing the ground nervously, ignoring the annoying feel of rocks under his paws.

"Maybe," is all his mentor said, before padding off in the direction of Snakerocks. Huffing, Nightpaw walked between the pines towards the heat of the uncovered sun.

Was Emberpaw going to be near the border? Would she be with anyone? It made Nightpaw uncomfortable to think that she was so far away; anything could happen to her. _Wait, _He thought to himself, _what do I care? She's Riverclan! _Shaking his head, he walked on.

"Nightpaw! Come here!" he heard his brother, and a heartbeat later, he saw the familiar color of Redpaw's reddish brown fur streaking towards him. Confused, he met his brother halfway, worried by his fearful gaze.

"You need to come home, _now." _His brother mewed franticly, streaking off, and after a moment's hesitation, Nightpaw followed. The camp was swarming, similar to an ant's nest after you kicked it; warriors were running everywhere, telling Silverstone and her kits, Nutkit, Grasskit, Poppypaw, and Shadowkit to hide in the nursery. Cloudstar was creating a small patrol when Nightpaw found Redpaw again, and asked what was going on.

"Amberpelt heard a fight going on, by Snakerocks!" Nightpaws heart spead up.

"Snakerocks, that's where Heroncall went!"

"What about me?" a voice called from across the clearing.

"Heroncall! Thank Starclan youre okay!" Redpaw exclaimed, his eyes round.

"Yes, Frogleap crossed my path, I was coming back to the camp."

Nightpaw was confused. "did you hear any sounds of a fight?"

Heroncall looked worried. "No, but I hope whoever it is they're okay. Nightpaw was stunned. Instead of trying to figure out what cat was missing, they were going to send out a patrol?

Without thinking, Nightpaw sholdered his way through the group of warriors and padded right up to Cloudstar. His forwardness was going to get him killed one day.

"Cloudstar, shouldn't you also be looking to see who it is whos missing?" He demanded boldly, his fur becoming fluffed out of embarrassment at the clearing went quiet, awaiting Cloudstar's reply.

"Im sorry, Nightpaw, but as insightful and helpful as that comment it, we already have." Cloudstar's voice was that of speaking to a kit; it annoyed Nightpaw immensely.

"Well, who is it, then?" a cat called from the crowd.

Cloudstar looked uncomfortable. "Morningbird."

Murmurs of worry and unese traveled through the cats below. Morningbird had been in a bout of greif ever since Emberpaw had been taken away, refusing to hunt or participate in training. Hven Stripepaw, who had stuck by her, had been given the cold shoulder as the mother grieved her lost kit.

"Heroncall, Smallshadow, Starfall, and Greybloom, go see what all of this fighting is about." Cloudstar instructed, leaving another small patrol, including Nightpaw and Redpaw, for backup.

What seemed like countless moons later, the patrol came back. Their ears were drawn against their heads, tails dragging across the ground.

Being carried on their backs was Morningbird.

The Silver she-cat was mangled; blood dripped from countless wounds and her body was limp. The smell of death clung to her, making her carriers wince.

"No!" they heard, turning to see Stripepaw come through the dirt tunnel, his eyes huge with disbelief. He hesantly padded over sniffing his dead mother. No one did anything for a long time, the quiet only broken by Gingertail's quiet sobs. Ivytail was no where to be seen, and Heroncall's gaze was that filled with regret.

"Who did this?" Stripepaw hissed, searching his mother's claws for a hint of left behind fur, but stopped, empty pawed. Burying his nose into his mother's fur, he keened, a low, pitiful sound that made all of the other cats follow suit, the setting sun filled with the sounds of misery and loss.

Nightpaw didn't feel right. Something didn't feel right. Stripepaw wasn't acting right.

He pulled away easy enough, padding into the dirt place. No new scent, as he thought. He found a small hole towards the back, with a whisp of Stripepaw's fur attached. Dragging himself through, Nightpaw followed the scent trail as it twisted and turned, through undergrowth and ferns, and he noticed it was going towards the Riverclan border. His forehead furrowed, he continued, opening his mouth to best catch the grey apprentice's scent.

"I didn't think you, of all cats, would've seen through my acting." A voice sounded behind him. Nightpaw spun around hurriedly, coming nose to nose with Stripepaw.

"you weren't supposed to find out. You were supposed to stay in the dark, like all of the other cats." He hissed, pushing a fearful Nightpaw back against a tree. He slashed with his forepaw, sharp, bloodstained claws just whiskers away from his eyes.

"But, they don't want me to kill you." Nightpaw was confused. Who didn't want him killed? What was Stripepaw talking about?

Do nightpaw's disbelief, he felt his eyes getting droopy. The scene around him became hazy, Stripepaw's form becoming fuzzy around the edges. The last thing he saw before he closed his eyes was the hints of blood in the silver tom's pupils.

_Nightpaw was running, happily throught the forest. The sounds of the forest were almost too loud, the sounds of birds calling to one another, mice burrowing in the undergrowth, trees swaying in the strong wind. Nightpaw slowed down opening his mouth to catch the scent of squirrel. Instead, he smelled the cat he had been trying not to think about: Emberpaw. He wondered what she was doing here. Was she wanting to hunt with him? The thought made him warm in his chest, and he began bounding again down her scent trail, too hapy to notice the trees changing to darker colors, the ground beniegh him getting soggy, beginning to squish around his paws and sending him going faster and faster. Soon, he bagan to notice the scenery changes, as the undergrowth was now completely gone. He was going to stop and look around, maybe go back, but Emberpaw's scent had become addictive, it made his head dizzy with happiness and it made him want to find her, to tell her how he really felt about her. _

_His heart almost jumped out of his chest when he saw her, her fur glowing softly with a white light he could've believed had always been there, it looked so right on her. Her face wanst visible, but her tail swayed happily from side to side. He found himself stumbling over his own paws, trying to remember how to put one in front of the other. _

"_Nightpaw," her beautiful voice called to him, making him stumble more and struggle to look cool._

_Finally, he made it over, enraptured by her eyes. They were a mixture of red and green, making him dizzy as he followed the swirling pattern._

"_Nightpaw, you have to come help me, please!" her voice was scared, and Nightpaw decided that he would do anything for her, wether it was fighting for her or caring for her. If she needed him to fight, he would until he could no longer breathe._

"_Good," Emberpaw whispered. _

"_What," he asked, not catching what she had said but saw her mouth open._

"_I said hurry!"_

_Nightpaw hurried after her, not seeing that her fur was becoming white and bloodstained, or that her eyes were completely red now, or that beautiful star forming on her forehead, because all he saw was the cat he loved._

**Sorry this ones shorter than the others; my fingers where FLYING across my keyboard, it sounded like rapid machine gunfire (Even though I know how to properly type, I prefer to be a 'chicken' and peck my keys)**

**Review, comment, PM, u guys *hopefully* know the drill by now **

**Don't forget to give me you warrior name, and/or vote on Emberpaw's poll! It can be found on my profile page! **** you would be doing me a HUGE favor by doing so**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: what was your reaction to Morningbird's death?**

**I had tears in my eyes as I typed that part; its always sad when you kill off something that you created.**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY PART 2: who do you think Morningbird's killer was?**

"**You guys will absolutely NEVER GUESS! **

**The voice inside my head: …Maybe its because you don't even know who killed her, yet…?**

**ME: SHUT UP ALREADY! **

**Pay no attention to me, please ^_^''**

'**Till next time, **

**ME!**


	14. Pain and an Ambush

**Hey, sorry about the late update :/ I'm going through a really bad bout of writer's block/depression/laziness. I swear, I've been a veggie for the last three days… *No offence to anyone for my comparison, of course***

**Okay, this was supposed to be created yesterday, and then this morning… first, I discovered what Pwediecry was; CURSE YOU CREEPY INTERNET! YOU DELAYED THIS STORY BY TWO DAYS! but I don't blame you, I was too busy drooling… and fan girling… and… **

**Also, (Not an advertisement) want to waste two hours? Watch BuzzFeedVideos, or Zefrank on YouTube; you won't know where the time went. Trust me.**

**A couple of shout outs:**

**StormxRaven**** & ****Featherwish of Windclan****: thanks for the feedback, I'll try harder next time!**

**Brightsun & Appleheart: sorry; I posted this in a hurry, before I was able to read through it; ill make sure to do that from now on! :)**

**To the Guest who wrote the heartfelt, (But long) review about how awesome this thing is: ****I literally had tears in my eyes; I'm going to copy this, print it out, and post it on my wall, that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said for my story; you were even nicer than my few BFFL'S who have read it…. That's ****sort of sad :/ but THANKS!**

**CREEPY INTERNET: ****GODS, I LOVE YOU! Now I am a major fan of pewdiepie and Cry. I was aware of the Shane Dawson thing; IVE MET HIM! It was brief, but it was like being in the presence of Starclan 8-)**

**Silver Wolf Rain****: wait and look at the end! :)**

**ApocalyspeAmerican****: thanks again! I ALWAYS LOVE YOUR ADVICE! **

**12courtny12****: I honestly only have a vague idea… that's kinds sad, also.**

**Okay, I'm sorry if this is short, again, not in the best of conditions right nao…**

**N'joy**

Emberpaw woke with a massive headache and aching joints. Blinking tiredly in the dim sunlight, she stretched painfully, careful not to move Troutpaw. His wounds, she noticed, were looking better, but the dried herbs hid the full extent of the main injury. Her chest cold with worry, she went to the fresh kill pile to find something small to eat. Her stomach was twisting, it felt empty and she was hungry, but the mere thought of food made her vision blurry with nausea.

She stared at a minnow, sick. She shook her head and padded away.

"Emberpaw, you're not going to eat?" she heard her mother inquire, worried. Splashfur rubbed her tail comfortingly against her own flat, dull fur. "When is the last time you've groomed yourself? Your pelt is a mess!" Lilyflower exclaimed, bounding over and starting to groom her in soft strokes of her tongue.

Emberpaw's eyes fluttered closed. Her nightly visits to the dead forest usually left her feeling tired, but this time it felt like instead of sleeping, she had ran to the moonpool and back. She felt her hind legs give out from underneath her, Startling Lilyflower.

"Emberpaw, are you okay?" her blue eyes met Emberpaw's, worried.

Emberpaw struggled to make a sound. Her body was heavy, but she was lying down. She felt the weights on her stomach, on her head. _Did this have to with the Dark Forest? _She thought painfully.

Then, suddenly, she was better. The weights on her stomach lifted, her head didn't feel like it was being sat on anymore. Her vision cleared, and she was suddenly ravenous.

"Emberpaw!?" she heard the two she-cats exclaim, but she ignored them and bit into a huge rainbow fish, relishing in the flavor and the feeling of a filling stomach.

"Emberpaw, will you join me on a patrol," Robinflight called, not noticing the two she-cat's wary glances.

"Yes," Emberpaw called, swallowing the last bit of the fish and padding happily over to her mentor. Robinflight looked tired, almost sick, but Emberpaw pushed that aside. Robinflight wouldn't be up and doing a patrol if she wasn't feeling well.

With Thunderpelt, Maplebelly, Lilyflower, and her and her mentor, they padded out into the foggy morning. They were checking on the small amount of twoleg dens along their smallest border, farthest away from the camp. The fog seemed to turn into storm clouds as they neared the strange tees, in straight lines and no undergrowth. Sweet smells permeated from them, small orange pieces peeking out from among the leaves. They moved carefully among the fallen pieces, not wanting to get bitten by the ants or other insects living in the rotting orange balls.

The wood sticks, jutting out of the ground, were now visible, along with the strange smells of the twoleg place. They soon came to the Riverclan sent markers, and stopped to refresh them.

They heard a chuckle from above them. A large, skinny brown and black tom sat content on the wooden sticks, looking down on the patrol with a disdainful sneer.

"You cats are stupid, if you think we will listen to your markings." Emberpaw didn't know what stupid meant, but she guessed it was near the same as fish-brain, and her fur fluffed up.

"Our borders may not stop you, but our claws and teeth will," Thunderpelt growled, his claws sliding out.

The kittypet looked amused. "I'm not some pet, you know. I don't mess with the upwalkers, but forest cats? When I was passing through and heard the fatties talking about brutes that ate bones and killed each other? Oh, I had to check that out!" growled the tom, his own claws sinking into the soft wood of the sticks.

Emberpaw didn't feel scared, even though she was by far the closest to the loner, and in the most danger. Instead, the red haze of battle began to leak into the corner of her vision. She wanted to sink her claws into this tom's neck, she wanted to…

"Oh, I see this little kit wants to fight," the loner purred, leaping down and padding the three tail-lengths to her. They were nose to nose, the tom's breath making her eyes water, momentarily pushing back the red haze to hear Lilyflower come to her rescue.

"I wouldn't do that; I'm pretty sure five against one isn't exactly your style." She spat, stepping forward threateningly.

Just then, to the patrol's surprise, pawful more cats leapt over the sticks to join the forming dispute. They all had rough, dull fur and were skinny, and they greatly out-numbered us.

"You're right, it's not. Now, since it's now more than even, I call this spunky little kit, you guys can have whoever," he spoke this last part to the group of loners. But, if they were this organized, they couldn't be loners; they had to be some sort of rouge clan, like Bloodclan had been, but Bloodclan was just a myth; it had happened so long ago.

In her thoughts, she didn't feel the coldness in her stomach until it was too late. Emberpaw's limbs gave out and she fell to the ground, wincing against the nausea. She should hear that the battle had started, but she was in too much pain to fight the rouge who was probably thinking she had collapsed in fright. Even through the pain, this thought made her so embarrassed, she had to make it more obvious she was in pain and not frightened.

After a moment, she whimpered and clawed at her stomach. It had been a one-time thing to make the brown rouge aware of her situation, but she found herself unable to stop herself. The whimpers were becoming quieter, thank Starclan, but they were replaced by moans as her head was hit by another wave of dizziness.

"Hawk, take her out of here before she gets trampled," she heard the brown rouge order, and she felt the paws of another inspect her stomach. Upon the unknown cat's prodding, she moaned again, and gave into the darkness leaking into her vision.

**TADA! Longer than I thought, not long enough for you all, I'm sure… oh well, I'm sort of inspired again, and of course, COMMENTS=MOTIVATION=CHAPTERS**

'**Till next time, **

**Me, (A.K.A. Emberfall, the creator of this slow-moving story line and the writer)**

**PS: QUESTION OF THE DAY: what do you think the pains Emberpaw's having is…? (I actually know, unlike other things in this story…)**


	15. Explaining and a Choice

**HELLO! A newfound inspiration has been created! How, you may ask…? XD **

**I DON'T KNOW! But, I'm not complaining, and I KNOW you guys aren't.**

**Okay, I feel such overwhelming guilt in forgetting to say this: I forgot to state that EMBERPAW IS NOT HAVING KITS! I'm so sorry, I guess it was pretty obvious that that was the main thought that came across, but no, since they are both too young, and they haven't been alone… sorry. StormxRaven, you were the closest, but not correct…**

**Also, I didn't forget about you; and you didn't come across as snobby or rude or whatever:)**

**DID YOU KNOW: Emberpaw's warrior ceremony is coming up pretty soon?! IKR the time has really come up on me… LIMITED TIME TO VOTE ON HER WARRIOR NAME! next chapter, I will post the top three names in RANDOM ORDER hehe, please vote; it can be found on my profile page!**

**Would you like to be in the story? XD please, leave your Rouge/Darkforest/Warrior name below, along with a brief personality and appearance, expect yourself to be in the story! Beware: you may be an evil cat, so if you don't want to be evil, please tell! **

**Okie, ENJOY AMIGOS!*Giggles***

Emberpaw blinked, sun shining right into her eyes. Wary to move, she instead checked her surroundings; she was in what looked like an abandoned twoleg nest, the roof was broken and the sun shone on her body through the holes and cracks. The smell of mold permeated the nest, along with the smell of mice. She hesitantly shifted her body, happy when no aches came, and dropped into a hunting crouch. A few heartbeats later, a mouse peeked its grey little head out of a hold in the floor, and began nibbling on some tan stalks on the other side of the nest. She stalked forward, trying her best not to let her claws scrape against the wooden floor. A moment later Emberpaw pounced, catching the stunned mouse by the tail and killing it with a swift bite to the neck.

"Nice catch." A voice said, and a cream colored tom padded out of the shadows and studied her. He looked around her age, but much bigger than she would ever be.

"T-thank you," she replied, wincing as her voice cracked in her dry throat. Clearing it, she spoke again.

"I'm guessing I'm not going to be let out if I ask to leave?"

The cream tabby looked embarrassed at her slightly hostile tone.

"No, at least not right now," he said, padding closer and sniffing her stomach. "Omar still needs to check you out. He should be back from patrol any time now."

Emberpaw cocked her head. "Omar? Is he a medicine cat?"

"Yes, that would be your name for what he does."

Emberpaw spoke the question that had bugging her since she had first had the pains: "Does anyone know what's wrong with me?"

At this, the tom chuckled, as if remembering something. "Well, our mothers all thought you were pregnant, but you are in too much pain for a pregnancy. Besides, I do know, it's something to do with the spirts, I would guess the Darkforest," he stopped at her stunned expression. The Darkforest was recruiting outside of the clans?! Emberpaw hadn't known this.

Trying to keep her voice level, she inquired, "How long have you been training there?"

"About four seasons," Emberpaw, upon hearing that he was one of her elders, bared her neck in surprise.

"You may return," he purred. "That's the first time anyone's done that! According to Fall, I'm one of the first ones they took on. What about you? How long have you been training?"

"Two seasons," His eyes widened. "Really, only two? When you were about to confront my father, you looked at least four seasons! Even I'm not strong enough to fight my father, yet." He said this last word with a hungry gaze.

Emberpaw realized she didn't have this strange tom's name. "What's your name?" "Oh, I'm sorry, I completely forgot! I'm Hawk, and you're...?" "In the Dea- I mean, Darkforest, I'm Red, but my apprentice name is Emberpaw."

He giggled. "That's such a weird name! Why don't you just go by your Darkforest name?!"

"Well, in the clans, the Darkforest to most is just a tale to tell kits, and for those who do believe, it's very bad, to be training there, so I keep it a secret. One other cat in my clan goes, also."

Hawk looked perplexed, but just shrugged his shoulders and padded out of the twoleg den, and after a moment's hesitation, Emberpaw followed him. Expecting to see a huge camp full of cats similar to Riverclan, she was disappointed to find they were in the middle of nowhere. There wasn't even the scent of other cats in the area.

"The leader thought it would be best, since we are most likely going to return you, that you not know where our camp was. Although Emberpaw was disappointed, she had to be impressed by the leader's forethought into this.

"So, where is this not-pregnant cat of yours, Hawk?" Emberpaw jumped at the voice, and for some unknown reason, she instantly hated this cat. His fur was an orange-cream, and his eyes a dark brown. He walked in such a way that it made her uncomfortable; and his gaze towards her sent her goose bumps.

Trying not to look as intimidated as she felt, she stood up from her sitting position, let her reckless side take over, and padded confidently up to this rouge and smiled. "That would be me,"

As much as she hated it, Beetlepaw's advice rang through her head_: if you can't stand them, if they irritate you to no end, if you're intimidated, be _nice_; kill them with kindness._

So Emberpaw was doing just that.

"I'm guessing you're Omar?" she asked sweetly, pushing down the bile in her throat from talking so… she-cat-ish. After this cat, she would leave the honey-talking to Beetlepaw.

"Yes," is all Omar said. The cream tabby was sniffing her stomach, her head, and her paws. She shifted uncomfortably, needles sprouting in her forepaws from staying in one position for so long.

After another moon it seemed, Omar gave his opinion on her health.

"She definitely isn't pregnant, but tell me everything that has happened."

Emberpaw didn't know where to begin. "Everything?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, yes, everything since your last… traumatic experience. Traumatic experience? Emberpaw had only had one of those, and it was a mouthful to explain to these two cats. She searched for the best way to explain her story. She opened her jaws to speak, Hawk leaned forward, interested, and she spoke.

By the time she was done, it was past sun-high, and the mouse she had eaten had long since burned off. The trees around her cast long shadows across the other two cat's faces, both of them still digesting what she had told them. Emberpaw had told everything, from her 'traumatic' separation from her family, adjusting to Riverclan life, her dreams of the Darkforest, from which Emberpaw guessed Omar was a part of too, as he nodded as she knew what she was speaking of, Starclan, she even told them about that warm feeling she got when she was with Troutpaw!

To her revelation, it felt good to get everything off of her shoulders. It felt like a weight had been hovering on top of her, threatening to crush her, but it was gone, and she felt relieved beyond belief.

After a couple of heartbeats, Omar shook his head. "You have been through much, but you will understand that most of it will have a good outcome. As a fellow Darkforest member, I will help you escape."

"Me too, me too!" Hawk piped in, excited, his tail creating clouds of dust from the ground. She was surprised, but wary also. She didn't trust this cat, but Hawk seemed to… she pondered what she should do.

**OKAY! I tried to create a cliffhanger of sorts, but I failed HORRIBLY :S okay, heres what im going to do now…**

**A NEW POLL IS UP! On this chapter, open for 48 HOURS ONLY! Please vote, it depends on which way the story will be going. The questions will be whether or not she trusts the creepy cat Omar and the trust that Hawk has in him, or her gut. PLEASE VOTE, IT CAN BE FOUND ON MY PROFILE PAGE!**

**Comment, follow, favorite, idc, just please do ^^ **

'**Till next time, **

**My Alter Ego, Myla**


	16. Descisions and new friends

**Okay, I have to apologize for not updating sooner, ive been grounded from the computer, and so my mind has just been creating more an more chapters in my head, and now im getting a migrane finally being able to put them onto the computer… *Sigh* please forgive me, ill think about you guys before I do anything stupid again**

***offers you each a cookie***

**Enjoy, and this chapter, if I might say, is decatated to BrightSun03, who has offered countless suggestions and pawfuls of support! 3 **

**Also, in RANDOM ORDER here are the top three names for Emberpaw's warrior name:**

**Emberheart, Emberwing, Embermoon NEW POLL IS NOW UP!**

**YOU DESIDE WHICH ONE IS ****THE**** ONE! Probably a week until she is a warrior… and I have the perfect name for Troutpaw's warrior name^^**

**Okay, enjoy!**

Emberpaw had been debating on what to do for less than a heartbeat. She couldn't believe her ears; Omar wanted to help her_ escape_?! It didn't sound right in her head. Her stomach agreed.

"No, I'd rather just be taken back by your leader instead of sneak out; if we are caught, I may never go back home." She replied, not daring to look into the huge tabby's cold eyes.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it," his mew carried to her, Omar already walking away. The indifference in his tone secured her suspicions, which it would not have ended well for her if she had agreed.

Hawk watched Omar go, troubled. "I don't understand why you didn't agree, but I'll make sure you're not lonely! Wait here, I'll be back soon!" and with that the tom bounded happily away, and Emberpaw made it back into the barn to catch another mouse for her empty belly.

She ended up catching two more mice, and she ate to her stomach's content. She was relaxed, but she missed her home, and even though mice were still good, her mouth longed for fish, and, of course, she missed Troutpaw. Emberpaw wondered what he was doing right now, probably worrying his head off. She began to purr in amusement at the thought of Troutpaw pacing around the clearing, when a small voice crawled into the back of her mind.

_Like he'd be missing you! He's probably playing with the kits, or flirting with Beetlepaw, or even praying to Starclan that you never return; Remember, no one there needs you._

The voice was right, but as much as she knew this was true, she couldn't help but worry about him and her clan. She was about to start fretting about him and the clan again when she heard happy yowls and giggling from the trees, and peeked out to see what was going on. There, behind Hawk, were three other cats, two slightly bigger than her, and one about her size. As they got closer, she could tell that there were two toms, one with black and white fur and these ice blue eyes, and the cat her size, a slight brown tabby tom with bright, hungry amber eyes. The white she-cat with brown dapples walked a little ways behind them, not running but padding happily and watching the two toms play fight with an amused sneer.

Hawk came into the twoleg den and found her watching, purring at her slightly nervous expression. "Don't worry, they're all great, and they're all a part of the Darkforest, so don't worry about that!" he chuckled as her shoulders drooped a bit in a relieved sigh, following the cream tom to the others.

"Okay, guys, this is Emberpaw."

She awkwardly nodded her head, and heat flowed into her pelt as they all started laughing.

"_Emberpaw_?! That's so _weird_!"

"I know, what kind of name is _that_?!" the two toms crowed, cackling and circling her. Emberpaw, not wanting to hurt the idiot toms, kept her claws sheathed as she cuffed them both roughly around the head, stifling a purr as they both fell to the ground, stunned.

"You may call me Red, if you are so against Emberpaw." She sniffed, studying their wary expressions as they got to their paws.

"I'm Toby, but in the Darkforest my name is Thorn," the smaller of the two announced, nodding to Emberpaw and backing away a couple of pawsteps. "And this is Ace, known as Cold in the Darkforest; we are both sorry for making fun of you." Emberpaw was surprised that they apologized, but happy that this wouldn't stop her from making some new friends. Ace nodded, his cold blue eyes gazing at Toby.

"I can speak for myself, you know," he mewed dryly, flicking Toby's ear with his tail. Then, the black and white tom padded closer to Emberpaw and sniffed her.

"So, this is the cat that challenged your father, Hawk? She doesn't seem like much."

Red leaked into her vision._ Excuse_ him?! How dare he judge her on how she looked, when she was sure that she could give him a run for his prey in a fight! Emberpaw searched her mind for a sharp retort, but the small piece of sense she had just told her to let it go, which she did, with a lot of difficultly.

"I'm glad you think that way," Emberpaw muttered, making sure the rude tom heard her, but he said nothing in response. Hawk, not wanting a fight to start, egged on the two toms into another play-fight, and Emberpaw made her way over to the white and brown dappled she-cat. Emberpaw decided not to say anything, but instead watched the three toms fight happily; of course their claws were unsheathed, but it didn't seem like they were trying to cause any harm.

"I don't think your name is silly," the she-cat said quietly, smiling at Emberpaw and rolling her eyes at the three cats to their right, who were throwing moss balls at each other.

"Toms, they never seem to want to grow up, do they?" she said, amusement rolling off of her.

"No, they don't." Emberpaw replied, chuckling as Hawk was turned around by Ace, and lost his balance.

"I'm Nuga, but you can call me bright, that is what everyone calls me in the Darkforest." Emberpaw was stunned to find a hint of bitterness in her mew as Bright spoke of the Darkforest, but didn't feel like right now was the right time to ask.

"So, are you related to any of them?" Emberpaw asked, trying to create a conversion.

Bright pointed with her tail to the Toby, who was pummeling Cold's ears with his swift forepaws. "He's my littermate, and Ace and Hawk are my mother's sister's kits from different litters, so we are all kin here.

Emberpaw, starting to notice the same characteristics in all four of the cats; the wide-set shoulders, the upturned eyes, nodded. "I had a brother, Stripepaw."

"Had?" Bright inquired.

"We were separated from each other as kits."

"Oh, just like Hawk?"

**Sorry for that bad cliffie, im sort of rustie… ^_^'' **

**Okay, VOTE PLEASE ON THE NEW WARRIOR NAME POLL!**

**Till next time,**

**Myla, the alter ego of me**


	17. Discoveries and Orders

**Hallo, its meh!**

**ATTENTION: I have posted a new story, a Percy Jackson Fanfic, called A New Kind of Misery! Please check it out! **

**Okay, vote for Emberpaw's warrior name! a new poll is up with the final and top three names for you guys to choose from! The three names are:**

**Emberheart (0 votes)**

**Embermoon (0 votes)**

**Emberwing (0 votes)**

**I love them all so much, but u guys vote to choose instead ^^**

**Okay, on to the story~**

Emberpaw stared at Bright. _Just like… Hawk was separated from a sibling, too_? He had never said anything about it, but she contributed this to the fact that it hadn't even been a whole day since she met him.

"R-Really?" Emberpaw stuttered, still processing the new information.

"Well, he had a little sister named Beat, but his Mother took her away and claimed that she killed her."

Emberpaw swallowed, hoping she never met this queen. "Claimed?"

"No cat ever found a body, or even traces of blood. Some think that she gave Beat to the Upwalkers, and others say Beat ran away."

"What do you think?" Emberpaw asked, cocking her head at the brown dappled she-cat.

"I don't care, as long as Hawk is happy." She spoke with a quiet hush, almost as if…

"Do you like Hawk?" Emberpaw teased.

"Well, I, um, he's a great friend, and I guess… I may, um, y- you know what I mean!" Bright stuttered, shifting her weight and moving as if she had ants in her pelt.

"Actually, I do." Emberpaw said, as hushed as Bright had been a moment ago.

"His name is Troutpaw, and…" she drifted off, unsure of what she was going to say.

"Are you going ask him to be your mate?" she squealed, acting exactly as Beetlepaw had what she had told her about Nightpaw.

Emberpaw's fur fluffed up, and heat cursed through her pelt. "I… we are still young, I mean… maybe, when we both become warriors…" Emberpaw spoke her mind about the string of thoughts that had been worrying her and at the same time making that warmth in her chest grow almost unbearably hot.

Emberpaw really did like Troutpaw, and… if things were okay when she got back… she would become a warrior in less than a moon… maybe.

The shadows were becoming colder and colder as the sun disappeared behind the trees, and the three toms stopped fighting.

"We're going to head back," Hawk called over to Emberpaw, "See you tonight?" for a moment Emberpaw was confused, before she remembered that they were a part of the Darkforest.

"Yeah, see you then!" she yowled back to the four quickly disappearing cats.

Emberpaw didn't want to go to asleep in the dirty, abandoned twoleg den, but as the night got colder and colder, she had no choice. She kneaded the brittle stalks of tan grass into a suitable nest, and curled into a tight ball, her tail resting on her nose, and closed her eyes.

The Darkforest was as it always was; dead, black, lifeless trees surrounded a clearing filled with blood, puddles of the stuff collected between tree roots and smattered across the trunks. There was no undergrowth, and the moon was the color of blood, shining its red light across a starless sky. The cats were more or less the same, with blood coating their fur like water, claws glinting red in the moonlight and eyes the color of the blood that they lapped from the puddles and dripped out of their wounds.

There were very few fights going on when Emberpaw arrived, but as she searched for Bright and her kin, some of the younger cats bared their necks. She would question why they did this, if it hadn't been for how she saw both Fall and Silverdust tear the throats of multiple cats while they had been in that same position. She padded on, not even bothering to tell the cats to return from their neck straining, and searched through the crowds of red for a pelt of white.

Emberpaw didn't see her, but she could hear Hawk's voice carrying above the din of tongues being shared. Padding towards the sounds, she had to push past several cats, shoving and slipping her way past the crowd and completely tiring her. She was so tired, in fact, that she didn't expect Ace -er- Cold pounce onto her back as she came into sight of them.

"You now have a chance to impress me," he hissed in Emberpaw's ear, "You better not disappoint me again."

Emberpaw struggled to find her red haze, but it just wasn't there. She shook the black tom off, and he fell awkwardly onto his white forepaw. Without so much as getting up, he slashed at her muzzle, leaving stinging, but shallow, scratches. Taking advantage of his position, Emberpaw leapt towards him and wrestled his forepaws with hers until both their claws were entangled with the others'. Cold didn't seem to know what she was doing, until, with glee, she began clawing at his fluffy, exposed underbelly. Emberpaw's claws tore through his belly with ease. Cold freaked, shacking her off with a painful twist to her claws. Wincing, she ducked out of the way just in time to see a set of white fangs snap at where her tail had been. She was planning her next attack when the familiar red haze took over, and she let it do all of the fighting for her. A few moments went by and it subsided, Emberpaw regaining feeling of two forepaws holding down the weakly struggling black tom. She released him, smirking as he panted heavily and blood dripped from his torn stomach.

"Did I fight well enough for you, Cold?" she purred, circling him with an unhide able sneer. "Did I finally impress you?" she couldn't help the cruel tone in her voice, but it sounded powerful in the deathly quiet clearing, Emberpaw just then noticed that every cat had stopped to watch her fight Cold.

"Yes," he muttered, padding off, but not before slashing her flank once more, leaving a rather painful wound. Emberpaw fought not to flinch, but succeeded, and walked past a throng of silent cats towards Hawk, Thorn, and Bright. All of the cats bared their necks, Emberpaw remembering that since she bead one of the Elder fighters, she now gained his former title.

It startled her as her three friends' expressions' remained black, but she reminded herself that she had just beaten and embarrassed their kin and friend. When she was just tail lengths away, she was halted by the glowing white and red leader, Silverdust. Emberpaw bared her neck and sat on her haunches, trying her best to ignore the flashes of the other cats' necks' at they were torn out, the blood driping onto her paws as the eyes rolled back, useless-

"You may return. Emberpaw follow me." Silverdust's soft, razor sharp voice ordered, and Emberpaw had no choice but to obey.

**Did you guys like that one? XD how did I do on the fight scene, do I need to work on them any? Anything you didn't like happen, or something lacking that you would like to see? TELL ME PLEASE! I would really appreciate it, and you would be getting credit, of course!**

**Want to be in the story? Post your cat's name, (Mostly warriors now, I'm about done with the rouges) along with a brief description the looks and personality, (Personality as long as you wish) and if you want to, the cat's Darkforest name! ^^ they will 95% appear, and I will PM you if possible to explain if they don't make an appearance**

**R, R, R, (read, rate, and review) and I will reward you guys! *Suggestions..? Maybe, if I get enough requests, I'll do a Skit between two of yawl's favorite characters in the story!***

**PS: SPECIAL CREDIT FOR THE CAT/PERSON WHO CAN FIRST TELL ME THE CONNECTION WITH LEAFKIT IN EARLIER CHAPTERS!**

**Until next time, **

**Emberfall**


	18. Unfinished Goodbyes and Slight Scares

**Okay, Congrats to… CANDIEBUNNIES! You were correct, Leafkit first made HIS appearance in chapter 4, the kit that comes to Starclan too early **** and, of course, Troutpaw's little brother. If you'd like me to type a one-shot, a special request, etc. as a prize, just PM me **

**Okay, I'm sorry for not stating this, but Emberpaw's poll is on my Profile page! Thanks ^^''**

**ONTO THE STORIE!**

**N'joy**

The day Emberpaw was going back home was as dreary as the day she traveled there from Thunderclan. The sky was overcast, dark clouds tinting the horizon and the rumbles of thunder could faintly be heard from inside the twoleg nest. Emberpaw stretched, still dazed from when Hawk had come in and woken her up, telling her that his father decided that she should just go home. Hawk offered to escort her back, along with Bright, Ace, and Toby. Emberpaw noticed that Hawk had looked disappointed at the thought of her leaving, but she paid it no mind; she was sure he just wanted a new playmate.

She heard the foreboding thunder boom closer than last time, but under that, an even more foreboding sound: the three toms all calling her name and cackling. She sighed inwardly and exited the den to face the three fish-brains, narrowly ducking Toby's small body as he jumped over her.

"Now, Toby, we don't want to accidently break the neck of the ah-maze-ing, oh-so-special Emberpaw, do we?" Ace's cold voice called from his spot next to Bright, who was looking uncomfortable at his closeness. He was trying to intertwine their tails, Bright was trying to make her tail wrap around her paws neatly, and the whole thing made Emberpaw have to hold in her laugh.

With a fake sigh of sadness, Emberpaw spoke to the annoying black and white tom. "Oh, Ace, I'm so, so sorry you were too weak to win… it was just such a shame! Even with Silverdust congratulating me on becoming an Elder in the Darkforest… it just wasn't the same!" she let the sarcasm run thick in her gushy statement, pleased when Ace flattened his ears but said nothing.

"Um, is it okay if we get going now?" Hawk probed, eying the two of them with a wary glance.

"Yeah, let's get rid of her already." Ace sniffed, and pulled Bright up to her paws with a pull on her tail. Bright glanced over to her, meeting her eyes with a request for help, but Emberpaw just shook her head and purred.

Emberpaw walked with Toby and Hawk, the trees passing with a speed that was making her sad; she wouldn't be able to see them again. Well, Ace she could live without, but Bright and Hawk… they had become friends with her, and she didn't want to leave them.

Her heart soared as she smelled the Riverclan scent line. They leapt over the big wooden sticks in the ground, and she was met with the smell of dried blood and fear scent.

"Hawk, who won the fight from a couple of day ago?"

He cocked his head.

"I honestly don't know… I guess you'll know soon enough, though."

They three stood awkwardly, Bright and Ace standing a few fox lengths away, whispering to each other angrily.

"Thanks for not killing me," Emberpaw blurted out, wincing at how stupid it sounded. Hawk and Toby looked at each other before bursting into laughter, and were about to say something when Emberpaw was tackled to the ground by an all-too-familiar grey pelt.

"EMBERPAW, ARE YOU OKAY?!" her mother, Splashfur, yowled into her ears, pushing the two toms away like they were flies and licking her face, her chest, her ears, searching for wounds.

"Gerroff! I can't… breathe!" Emberpaw choked out, taking big breaths of air when her mother let her go, only to be startled as Thunderpelt laid a tail across her shoulders.

"I'm glad you're okay! But… we better get you back to Troutpaw…" he trailed off, leaving that warm feeling at Troutpaw's name to be overtaken by cold at Thunderpelt's worried tone.

"Okay, but let me say goodbye to—"

There was no cat there. Bright, Ace, Hawk, and Toby were nowhere to be seen, and Emberpaw struggled to catch their scents.

"Goodbye to who? There's no one here, honey." Splashfur ignored her stuttering and steered Emberpaw towards the Riverclan camp. It seemed to take moons to get there, but Emberpaw was happy to be back within the familiar territory.

The scent of so many cats was almost painful on her nose, and as they pushed past the thorn tunnel, and almost every cat stopped what they were doing to come over and greet her, saying how they had been so worried, but after they had won the battle, they hadn't even noticed she was missing until they were back home. That stung a bit, but Emberpaw was more worried by the fact that Troutpaw wasn't with her, so she decided to ask Lilyflower, after the quick and uncomfortable grooming the she-cat gave her.

"He went into shock, you see, when he saw that you had been taken. He just curled up in his nest, he wouldn't eat or anything! He's just been staring at your nest… He's a mess; you better go to see him.

Lilyflower had to yowl the last part at her already bounding form ran for the outcropping of rocks.

Emberpaw pushed her way up to their small cave. "Troutpaw, I'm back!" she yowled, earning a bleary, tired look that transformed into one of an elated kit, leaping around her and laughing.

He was about to say something when his stomach growled, and Emberpaw fixed him with a stern look.

"Not another word until you have eaten the biggest fish on that pile, do you hear me?"

He purred, and nuzzled her neck. "You would make a great mother."

Surprised, she said nothing, but followed Troutpaw to the fresh-kill pile and took the largest fish, one that took both of them to carry, and went to one of the small sun spots from the cracking clouds, which looked slightly lighter.

"I hope you ruffed up some of those rouges while you were there," Troutpaw mumbled around his mouth full of fish.

Emberpaw purred, remembering Ace.

"Yeah, don't worry, I did."

**Yayyy! I tried to add a little more funnie and a tidbit more romanze, hope ya'll liked it! I wonder where Robinflight is…**

**Till next time, **

**ME **


	19. New Names and New Life

**Heya^^ I've had a pretty weird day…**

**So, I went to Pet Smart, (I love looking at the kittens) and what do I see there? I saw EMBERPAW! She was so adorable, if my dad wasn't MENTALLY allergic, my mom would've gotten her **** I was literally just staring at her, tears in my eyes. I. just. Love. Kittens. **

**Okay, on to a comment I got last night: Yes, I know Cloudstar was a Skyclan leader, but I'm not confused -.- there can be more than one Cloudstar, and he was originally Cloudblink before he became leader.**

**I pride myself on creating all of the original cats, but I thank everyone who donated their cat names for the story! (No names are from any of the books)**

**CHAPTER 18 WAS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER! I got a comment commenting me on the story… then saying they were sad that it ended o.o have you forgotten about what the Darkforest is planning, Morningbird's death, Emberpaw's warrior name, if she even has kits, Nightpaw…. Apparently that commenter had…**

**N'Joy! **

After eating the giant fish, Troutpaw filled her in on what happened during the two days she was gone.

"Your mentor, Robinflight, she's in the Nursery expecting Nighttalon's kits. Apparently she's close; she was waiting for the last moment to drop her deputy and warrior duties."

Emberpaw felt a rush of excitement for her mentor, and the prospect of new kits in the clan. Then she wondered who would be her new mentor; and when their final assessments would be. She had been an apprentice nearly six moons, and so had Troutpaw and Beetlepaw. Robinflight's kits could possibly be their apprentices!

"I wonder what my warrior name will be," Troutpaw mused aloud, yanking Emberpaw out of her excited dreams of the future.

"Maybe Troutbrain," Beetlepaw purred to him, flicking her ears and settling down next to Emberpaw.

"Hey! Well, maybe you'll be Beetledung!" he giggled and ducked a paw swipe from the disgruntled black apprentice.

"What about you, Emberpaw? What do you think your warrior name will be?" Beetlepaw prompted, turning her eyes to her, glistening in the sun of the clear, cloudless day.

Emberpaw hadn't really thought about it, but she thought about it the best she could.

"Maybe Emberwing? That has a nice ring to it… or maybe Emberstrike!" Troutpaw pondered this, purring.

"Maybe. You two want to go on a hunting patrol?"

They both agreed, and went to a hunting patrol that was about to take off. "Mind if we come, also?" Troutpaw asked the patrol leader, Maplebelly.

"Yeah, all of the paws are needed! There are bound to be lots of fish out today, with this nice weather." As they got into the back of the patrol, Maplebelly whispered In Emberpaw's ear,  
"Welcome back, 'paw."

Emberpaw felt her chest swell with happiness.

A little later, the patrol all had fish tucked in their jaws, and gleaming, wet fur from the cool water of the river. Leaf-fall was fast approaching, and they needed to eat as much fish as they could for when the river froze over.

"Ah, Emberpaw, come here for a moment, please?" Reedstar called, beckoning with his tail for her to follow him into his den. The Leader's den was close to both the nursery and the medicine den, taking it's hold in a holly bush strengthened with countless reeds and brambles. There were two nests inside, one apparently Reedstar's and the other his mate Webwhisker's.

"I'm sure you've heard by now that Robinflight is expecting kits, and so she is currently unable to help you finish your apprentice training. Since, however, you only have to have your hunting and fighting assessments, I will oversee them in place of Robinflight."

Emberpaw had known what he was calling her in for, but she hadn't thought Reedstar himself would take place as her mentor.

"Yes, Reedstar. When _are_ our assessments, now that I think about it?"

"Tomorrow, if the weather is good."

Emberpaw was in shock. These six months had gone by so fast; she really didn't know where all of the time went.

"O-okay… Thank you," she stuttered, backing out of the den.

"Emberpaw, come here, I need your help grabbing some wet moss! Robinflight is beginning to have her kits!" Beetlepaw yowled, racing past her with a mouthful of moss, and Emberpaw followed shortly after. They reached the small stream a little ways away from the camp where they caught minnows at, and dipped the moss in. As they were carrying back the soaking moss, she couldn't help but giggle abound her bundle at Beetlepaw's chin and chest fur, which was dripping water from the moss.

"Hey! You don't look much better, I'm sure!" the black she-cat guaffed, motioning with her tail to Emberpaw's chest, which was dripping into a puddle between her paws. The two apprentices broke down into giggles, completely forgetting about the urgency of the situation until a pained yowl ripped from the camp. They both stopped laughing instantly, looked at each other, frozen, then both sprang the fox-lengths to the camp and brought the moss into the hot, small nursery. The Nursery was crafted from the roots of a large birch tree, where the roots had burst from under the ground and stuck into the air like paws out of a river. There had been a storm, Troutpaw had explained a while back, that almost tipped the tree over, but instead left a small space under the base of the tree. With a little work, the warriors set up the new nursery, easily protectable, and it kept it's warmth in leaf-bare and stayed cool in green-leaf.

It was then that they had padded down the steep slope into the hot and stuffy den, with Nighttallon fretting, Robinflight panting heavily, and Stormwater bending over the pregnant she-cat's swollen belly.

"They're almost ready. It feels like three, maybe four."

"_Four_?!" both Nighttallon and Robinflight exclaimed, Nighttalon's in excitement, and Robinflight's at the pain of having four kits.

"Or three," Stormwater reminded the two cats.

Robinflight moaned.

The two apprentices were just beginning to back out when Stormwater gave them a look.

"You must stay, to help when they come."

The two apprentices looked at each other, wary.

"What do we have to do?" Emberpaw asked after a moment.

Stormwater, not looking up from his hunched position at Robinflight's spasmning belly, instructed what they had to do:

"When the kits come, I will hand them to you; you must break the sacks surrounding their mouths and lick them roughly, against the fur to warm them up, and then direct them to her belly."

He said this like it was nothing, but it sounded to Emberpaw like a pawful of things she would mess up on.

What if she accidentally bit one of the kits, or stepped on one?! They were so tiny… or, what it one of the kits opened their eyes and thought _she_ was their mother?! Even though she knew this was about as likely as a Starclan cat coming and blessing her with wings, it still stared Emberpaw to death. But, what if she did something wrong, like is she—

"They're coming!" Stormwater's voice sounded preoccupied, but his gaze was fixed intently on the she-cat, who was squeezing her eyes shut and screeching. Suddenly, a small ginger bundle slid onto the nest of reeds. Stormwater sniffed it, and then passed it to Beetlepaw. She black apprentice looked startled at how fast it all had happened, but nipped the sack from the small mouth and began licking it from tail to head, purring as it began to squirm and mewl tiny cries.

"Here's another one…" Stormwater muttered, his paws catching the next one, a cream kit.

"Emberpaw, here," Stormwater laid the kit gently at her paws, and turned back to the panting queen. She sniffed the kit and nipped the sack with an expertise that she never knew she had, and started licking the little bundle. It began to kick her nose, earning a blink of surprise from Stormwater and the cream kit continued to knead the nest with small, tan paws and opened its mouth to make tiny but strong sounds of hunger.

"That one's a little warrior already!" he noted, then turned back to the squealing queen. Emberpaw soon found out it was a she-cat, and this strange rush of affection rushed through her. Two more soon followed, the two being licked by Stormwater as the two apprentices placed the kits at Robinflight's now flat belly and began suckling.

"Three she-cats, and one tom," Stormwater announced, flourishing his paw at the four sucking kits, all with closed eyes and twitching tails.

"The ginger tom will be Flamekit, the grey one Mistkit, the blue-grey one Greykit, and…" Robinflight mumbled, tired.

"Nighttallon, I can't come up with a name for the cream she-cat…"

"How about Lightkit?" Emberpaw proposed without thinking. Fish-brain, these weren't her kits! Why did she have to blurt that out?! She was just about to open her jaws to apologize profusely when Nighttallon and Robinflight both purred.

"Lightkit? That sounds perfect."

She didn't say anything, but besides the surprise that her name was suggested, there was a warm feeling spreading throughout her body at the thought of naming such a small, innocent, beautiful kit.

"Flamekit, Greykit, Mistkit, and Lightkit, welcome to Riverclan." Stormwater blessed them, nodding his head before nodding his head and backing out to tell the rest of the clan.

Emberpaw, upon a nod from Nighttallon, padded the Lightkit, and licked the little she-cats pale tan ear.

"Welcome to Riverclan, Lightkit! May Starclan light your path…"

**Yay! New kits! Expect lots of funnie things from these four, and I think it's pretty obvious who her first apprentice is going to be… **

**You guys like? This is a rather long chapter, so I hope I did well! Any suggestions, cats wanted in the story, am I lacking anything? TELL ME! **

**You guys won't believe how happy I always am when I see the comments on my email… It just completely lightenes my day **

**Till next time,**

**Emberfall**


	20. Vows and Commitments

**I'm very disappointed in how few votes I had to Emberpaw's warrior name poll; only five?! Come on, guys…**

**So, instead, I wrote –heart, -wing, and –moon on five pieces of paper each and drew them randomly from a bag, and that will be Emberpaw's name. Yes, she gets her warrior name today! WHOOHOO! **

**Enjoy.**

Emberpaw's battle and hunting assessments went by too quickly. In her hunting, she had to catch three different types of fish, using three different methods; Diving, waiting, and sitting in the shallows. She passed in all three easily. She also had to catch land prey, for the preparation of winter and the freezing of the river. She caught two mice from the abandoned two-leg nest, and a small finch. With Beetlepaw and Troutpaw both also doing this, she was beyond sure the fresh-kill pile would be stocked.

In the fighting assessment, she barely blinked as she demonstrated different types of maneuvers, both by herself and with Reedstar. It wasn't as scary as she thought, fighting with the leader, thank Starclan, it was actually kind of easy. Reedstar had greys on his muzzle, and he was panting heavily as they finished.

"Very… good, Em…Emberpaw. You may go…back to the camp…" he wheezed. She was ashamed to think he looked weak, but he did. She thought of Hailheart, a tan tabby that had been put in charge of deputy duties until further notice. He would become a good leader, if Reedstar would to resign before Robinflight could go back to her duties. There had been talk amongst the elders of Emberpaw's old mentor joining the elders when the four new kits became apprentices. Robinflight was a lot older than she looked, even Stormwater admitted when she asked that she was old for a queen.

"She has many moons yes," Stormwater had spoken around his bundle of borage for the queen, "but she may not be able to carry out her warrior and deputy duties."

As much as this news should have hurt her, how her mentor was getting weak and frail, she didn't really feel any sort of emotion. Sure, she had learned how to hunt from the pale grey she-cat, but she had learned her fighting from her other mentors, Fall and Silverdust in the Darkforest. She pushed her way through the tunnel, startled to find Beetlepaw almost collide into her. Without a word, Beetlepaw yanked her by the tail to a secluded corner near the apprentice and elder's dens, and whispered,

"I'm in love, Emberpaw… with Mosstail." Emberpaw felt a rush of affection for her friend.

"That's great! Are you going to tell him?" Beetlepaw's expression said more than she could've spoken.

"I'm so happy for you! You go get 'em, fish-brain." Beetlepaw nuzzled the calico apprentice and went off in search of the dappled grey and white tom, tail held high. Emberpaw's thoughts drifted to Troutpaw, and how much she liked him. She had come to the assumption that the warm feeling was love. When she had explained the feeling the Beetlepaw a while back, and how she thought it was love, the dark brown cat had snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Took you long enough," and with that, padded off. Emberpaw guessed she had known it all along, but hadn't really addressed it until he had been injured in the battle; since then his fur had started to grow over the slightly suckered scar, and it was hardly visible. Just then, Troutpaw burst from the tunnel and barreled towards her.

"I passed! The ceremony's about to start!" both happiness and nervousness coursed through her fur, making it prickle.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the rockpile for a clan meeting!" Reedstar's yowl echoed from where he stood on top of the pile of small boulders. Cats streamed out of the dens and from the tunnel.

"We are here today to award many new names, the first of them being Whitekit." Emberpaw had completely forgotten that Whitekit was six moons old, and would become an apprentice. The small white tom padded forward, both Troutpaw and Wetstone shone with pride, chests puffed out and eyes glittering.

"Whitekit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Whitepaw. Splashfur, it's about time you have another apprentice. I ask you to pass your experience and hunting abilities."

"I will, Reedstar," Emberpaw's mother declared, padding forward to couch noses with the quivering apprentice.

"Whitepaw! Whitepaw!" they called, Troutpaw by far the loudest. The little tom looked about to burst, not even minding the affectionate licks from his big brother and mother.

"Also, it is my honor today to name three new warriors." Reedstar announced as the clearing quieted down.

"Troutpaw, Beetlepaw, and Emberpaw, please walk forward." The leader ordered.

The three soon-to-be warriors padded forward and stopped when they were side by side, at the base of the rockpile.

"I, Reedstar, leader of Riverclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices," Troutpaw kneaded the dry dirt below as the leader continued. "They have all trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code. Robinflight, Pebblethorn, Lilyflower, have your apprentices perfected their hunting and fighting skills?" Reedstar addressed the three mentors.

"Yes, Reedstar," they all answered in union, looking proudly at the three apprentices.

"Troutpaw, Emberpaw, and Beetlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," Beetlepaw stuttered.

"Troutpaw's excitement showed in his mew, "I do,"

Emberpaw was determined not to let her nervousness show. "I do," she said proudly, relieved at her strong tone.

"Then by the power of Starclan I give you your warrior names." Reedstar leapt down from his perch to pad to the three cats.

"Troutpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Troutclaw. Starclan honors your eagerness and your determination." Reedstar touched noses to the grinning light grey tom, and turned to Beetlepaw.

"Beetlepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Beetleeyes. Starclan honors your skill in hunting and your courage." The brown and black warrior couldn't have looked happier as she touched noses with their leader. Finally, he stopped in front of Emberpaw.

"Emberpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Emberwing. Starclan honors your loyalty to the clan and your impressive battle skills."

All of the surroundings seemed to be basked in a soft glow as her fellow warriors and Clanmates' yowls their names into the quickly darkening sky.

"Troutclaw! Beetleeyes! Emberwing!"

The three new warriors turned to congratulate each other, before being surrounded their fathers and mothers. Splashfur was busy with Whitepaw, so she was alone. Emberwing tried not to feel sorry for herself as she padded towards the fallen tree where the nursery laid.

She padded downwards, to run into a little ball of ginger fluff.

"Ow! Watch where you're going, you little…" Flamekit growled as he got up and looked at her paws, where a kit's head would've been. From them, with amber eyes growing bigger and bigger as he progressed upward, his eyes traveled from her paws to chest, then finally head. By this time, his neck was craned so far up that he toppled over.

"Whoa! You're _HUGE_!"

"Flamekit, don't be rude!" Robinflight called from her nest, surrounded by three other tiny fur balls.

"Congratulations, Emberwing!" Robinflight congratulated her, purring as the remaining three kits looked at her in awe.

"Wow, you're a warrior?" the smallest one, Mistkit, mewed.

"Yup, I became a warrior today, actually!" she replied, purring in amusement as the four kits crowded around her. Mistkit seemed to be stuck to Flamekit, not going anywhere the little tom didn't go.

"I wish I could've seen!" Lightkit pouted. Emberpaw was happy to see the little cream kit, with bright blue, open eyes and such a tiny body.

"Emberwing, can you show us the camp?" Flamekit pleaded. Glancing at Robinflight, who gave a tired but amused nod, Emberwing found herself walking out of the nursery with four little kits on her tail, like ducklings after a mother duck.

The clan, who had begun sharing tongues, all chuckled and purred at the four new additions to the clan, as they stumbled and leapt over each other in their excitement, more often landing on their stomachs with an 'oof!' than on their paws. Emberwing brought them first to the medicine den.

"This is the medicine den, where Stormwater lives and treats cats with illnesses and injuries."

She stepped back to let Stormwater take over, as he showed them the entire den and his stash of herbs, and seemed relieved when Mistkit seemed more interested than the rest of her siblings.

"She may become my apprentice, if she continues to be interested," Stormwater mused as the four kits met the other cats of Riverclan, and all got a firm grooming by Lilyflower, of course.

"Maybe," is all Emberwing said.

"You should go out, before your vigil tonight. You'll be still as a rock for the entire time the stars are visible and the moon shines."

Taking the medicine cat's recommendation, she was padding towards the entrance when Troutclaw joined her.

"I love your name, Ember_wing_," Troutclaw whispered in her ear, licking her affectionately on the cheek.

As they walked together to the river, they passed Stonewhisker and Lakewillow, Riverclan's two elders.

"Starclan, they get together younger and younger each season, it seems!" Lakewillow muttered, amused, to the grumpy grey and white tom.

Troutclaw and Emberwing both ducked their heads in embarrassment, but didn't say anything. When they reached the river, Troutclaw stood over the edge, looking for a fish.

"You know, you really scared me when the patrol came back and you weren't with them. My… my heart stopped."

Emberwing was surprised. Did he really feel that way about her? She had been questioning herself is she should say anything, maybe just let herself love him from afar.

That wasn't an option anymore.

"Don't worry; it'll be a while before I go anywhere again." Is all she said, almost at a loss for words.

Troutclaw looked up from the river and padded over to her, touching his nose to hers.

"When you do, can I be at your side?" he whispered, and Emberwing almost didn't catch it.

"What are you saying?" Emberpaw blurted, her mind whirling. What he said, it sounded as if he was asking her…

"I'm asking if I can be your mate, fish-brain." Troutclaw looked her in the eyes. His were fearful, almost as if he already thought she was going to say no.

"Do you even have to ask?" Emberwing mewed brightly, pressing her forehead against hers and breathing in his scent, like pine trees and nettles.

As she had said these words, all of the breath left his chest, and he closed his eyes in relief.

They were now warriors. They were now mates. Everything couldn't have been more perfect.

The couple, too absorbed in their shared happiness, didn't see the red eyes glowing from the trees, bathed in shadows and giving a look that could kill.

**Yay! They are now mates! They are now warriors! Its going to take me a while to stop typing Troutpaw and Emberpaw, so stick with me please^^**

**THIS WAS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER it could've been if there wasn't all of the other drama crap that makes this story so much more complicated…**

**New chapter tomorrow, (95% sure, at least)**

**Happy 4****th**** of July to my American readers!**

**Till next time, **

**Emberfall**


	21. Happiness and New Relavations

**Has anyone noticed my new avatar picture? XD I found the line art on devianart and I colored it in using SAI Paint Studios… super fun and super easy! XD**

**Okay, thanks to all of you amazing people who read, favorite, follow, comment, and support me and this story… I'm sort of going through some tough times right now so I really love you guys and your faithfulness! XD I'm so emotional right now…**

**Okay, for a reward, I will do another interview! But YOU GUYS HAVE TO GIVE ME THE QUESTIONS TO ASK! Oh, and any cats u want to be in the interview, of course **

**TO SMOKEBLADE: I am going to use ur cat, but I couldn't use Smokeblade because I don't think the cats know what a blade is :-* so, I did the next best thing; sorry if it was offensive or anything!**

**Okay, N'Joy!**

Emberwing was in a great mood. Her friends, Beetleeyes and Troutclaw, all newly made warriors for Riverclan, were half way through their silent vigil. Before they sat down for their night of listening, her and Troutclaw… she was so happy that he loved her back. They had spent the rest of their time playing, acting like kits and chasing each other. Starclan must be looking down on her, despite her training in the Darkforest. In truth, Emberwing respected both types of spirits equally; she looked up to her warrior ancestors and followed the warrior code, but at the same time, the Darkforest had given her the chance to become even stronger, and she didn't mind spilling a little blood, like any other warrior.

As Silverdust had said, training with your claws sheathed could only teach you so much.

The nights were getting down right chilly, frost tracing patterns around the three motionless warriors' paws. They were all shivering, and Emberwing's heart stuttered as Troutclaw's cool pelt pressed against hers for warmth. Would these warm feelings ever stop?

As Emberwing looked to the frosty sky where her ancestors shone in the sky, she realized she didn't really want them to.

_**Starclan**_

Smokeclaws paced back and forth, looking as the dark, blood covered cats took even more of their hunting grounds.

"We can't just stand here with our tails between our legs and do nothing!" she hissed, lashing her tail at Smallbelly and Tornheart, the leaders of the battle patrol, who wore identical looks of defeat.

"You have fought bravely, Smokeclaws, but there is nothing more we can do," Smallbelly's deep voice spoke sadly, looking at the scene below him with cloudy eyes.

Those filthy Darkforest cats were swarming the series of dens and streams at the bottem of the hill. They washed themselves in the rivers, turning them the colors of Starclan blood. The Darkforest was getting too strong, but Starclan was strong too! Smokeclaws had been so sure… they had brought their best fighters, Rainfall, Deepwound, Birdbeak, Eaglefeathers, even Scarredface, who was one of the oldest cats in Starclan that had yet to fade away.

What had gone wrong? Smokeclaws ran her mind over the battle, but she flound herself growing dizzy from fatigue.

"We came with ten cats, Smokeclaws; they have hundreds of willing, even happy clan cats as well as the regular Darkforest cats. Just face it, they won," Muttered Tornheart, turning away at the long legged, smoky grey she-cats' intense glare.

"No! I refuse to give up my home again!" Smokeclaws had been from the long lost Skyclan, and had died on the long travel for them to find a new home. She had left a mate, kits, and a clan behind, and even though she saw them all again, Starclan was such a large place, every time you went to sleep, you woke somewhere different. Unless you were summoned by one of the Starclan leaders, you just drifted, meeting new cats and eventually just wishing everyday would end, not even taking in your surroundings. She never saw any of them after the one time, ever again.

Starclan wasn't the great place she had been told about as a kit; not anymore.

Ignoring the pleads from her fellow Starclan warriors, she padded down the steep slope to the blood bathed cats who had messed with the wrong cat.

"My, my, what do we have here? Have you came to beg for your land back?" a pitch black warrior growled, blood making his fur clumped and stick out at odd angles. His eyes were a red amber, and Smokeclaws tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling from being smaller than this dark warrior, with her long legs she was usually taller than every other cat.

"Well?" the black and red tom prompted, sitting back on his haunches like she was no threat, and started licking one of his paws.

It was when he prompted her that she realized she didn't have a plan. In her rage, she had padded down here, and now she was stuck!

"if you're going to plead, it should go like this: 'oh, please all great and mighty Black! Please, let me and my pathetic, poor excuse for a warrior cats reclaim our hunting grounds!'"

This tom was so full of himself! Smokeclaws wanted to cuff this idiot cat and set him into place with her claws, but she knew that if she attacked, she would have countless pawfuls of Darkforest cats pounce on her.

"I-I came to speak with your leader," She managed to choke out around this tom's carrion-smelling breath.

The tom, Black, snorted. "What? You don't deserve to be in the presence of our leader! From how you cats fought, she eats stronger prey!"

Smokeclaws was searching for a sharp retort when the background noises of the Darkforest cats was silenced, and a glowing silver cat padded through the clearing towards the two cats.

"Thank you for that, Black, but if the tiny warrior wishes to speak with me, she may."

Black, his neck bent in a disgusting show of submission, scowled but was smart and didn't say anything.

Tiny?! Smokeclaws' mind spun, outraged. She wasn't tiny! She was probably taller than she she-cat if she hadn't been floating half a tail-length off the ground!

"So, what do you wish to say to me?" the silver-white she-cat spoke, bringing Smokeclaws back to the present.

"Why do you and your… warriors have to take our land? Is the Darkforest not enough for you anymore?"

The she-cat's blood red eyes seemed to flare, furious. She floated down, and went right to being nose-to-nose with the startled smoky grey cat.

"No, it isn't enough, actually. Since we are training so many cats, we have to be ready to accommodate more of them when they die." Her tone was one of speaking to a naughty kit.

Smokeclaws went to open her mouth when long, wicked claws pressed against her throat.

"Now, since you got what you wanted to hear, go run along to your home, while it's still yours."

With that, she again floating silver leader spun Smokeclaws around by the claws sunk into her grey neck, and flung her to the base of the hill.

Coughing, Smokeclaws was dragged herself to her paws with the help of her useless warrior comrades.

"You'll pay for this, I swear on my life!" the heavily bleeding Starclan cat hissed, and to her intence irritation, the blood covered cats all cackled.

The silver she-cat spoke with a voice softer than down feathers. "Honey, don't you know that you're dead?"

After that, Smokeclaws felt the invasion of poppy seeds onto her tongue, and everything faded away, to appear somewhere new the next day, alive but wishing for different.

**You guys like? XD that was for Smokeblade27, and I hope I portrayed that Starclan isint all that and a bag of chips… **

**COMMENT QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO BE ASKED IN THE UPCOMING INTERVIEW! XD (and cats too)**

**Till next time,**

**Emberfall**


	22. Declarations and Interview

**Hey, guys! Sorry this chapter took so long, I'm including the interview in this chapter, and I've sort of gone through a bit of writers block and non-motivation… I NEED COMMENTS! COMMENTS=MOTIVATION=CHAPTERS! I know its summer for most of you guys right now, but please understand that equation… please :'(**

**Thank you to all of you who DID comment, my heart goes out to you guys! 3**

**Okie enjoys the story, and interview at the bottom!**

The vigil, Emberwing swore, was slower than a snail traveling across the clearing. The moon just dragged on, and on, and _ON_, and she felt as if her paws were falling off from the cold. As tradition, you could not speak, so the three newly made warriors just… stood there.

Finally, after what seemed like enough moons for them to join Starclan, the sun was peeking out from above the trees, making the frost-covered clearing sparkle and glimmer. Although golden, the sun provided no warmth, and the cats' breath could just barely be seen when they exhaled. Leaf-bare was here.

Reedstar himself came over to the three of them, nodding his head as a signal of their vigil, which was now over. Their shoulders sagged with relief, and, too tired to speak, they padded towards the warrior's den. They pushed through the barrier, and were welcomed by soft breathing, and three newly made nests, lined with moss and a couple of duck feathers each. They almost collapsed onto their new nests, and, with Troutclaw's pelt comfortingly against Emberwing's, she closed her eyes and sank blissfully into the oblivion.

The Darkforest was in an uproar. Cats streamed from all sides into the clearing, yowling to each other for the best spots or asking where certain cats were.

"Red, come here!" Emberwing's friend, Bark, called. "We found a good spot!" pushing her way past, growling at the larger cats who blocked her way, and, of course, with the help of her status in the Deadforest, she made it to Splash, Moon, Bark, and Rock fairly easy.

"What's going on," Emberwing asked, perplexed by the rush of the crowd around them.

"Silverdust called a meeting," Splash explained while inspecting one of her bloodied paws, "and required all cats to join, dead and alive."

The five cats looked worriedly at each other. The dead cats, which were evil enough to be sent here instead of Starclan, were nothing to mess with.

Bark looked about to talk about the latest gossip when all noise ceased, and instantaneously, countless cats bared their necks to the glowing leader as she walked to the Blood River to address the group.

When Silverdust got to a comfortable position, she mewed the words to allow them to straighten their necks back and listen.

"Last night, the Darkforest took even more of Starclan's precious territory!" she announced, and was meted by so many cackles, yowls, screeches, and noises of bloodlust that Emberwing's ears throbbed, but she joined in, although a lot quieter than the others.

"And this," Silverdust continued after the noise died down, "Is what brings me to my next announcement. In two moons, we will take over Starclan, completely!"

This time, a mixture of confusion and excitement erupted from the crowds, not as loud as before, but loud enough to echo painfully around the clearing.

"We attacked earlier with only our dead cats, the ones here all day. This time, however, all cats will participate in this one."

Emberwing had to cover her ears with her paws and screw her eyes shut upon the onslaught of noise from her fellow cats, and she wasn't the only one. When her eyes finally peeled back as the noise drooped slightly, she could see the younger cats with pained faces and rubbing their ears with their tails or paws.

Silverdust was going to say more, but cats started murmuring. It was time for most of them to wake, as they had been there all night, but Emberwing only a while. Cats started vanishing, little whispers following their disappearance like a breeze on a summer's night. Emberwing's mind was whirling, and she felt the familiar pains come on. She knew that they were painful enough to wake her and yank her from the Darkforest, so she bade a quick farewell forced through her teeth and felt the dizziness as she woke. When the pain was over, she was sure of one thing, even though she would be putting her very life in danger.

She couldn't let Starclan be destroyed.

**Whoo! Major small chapter! Sorry about that, but I have to say, the words flowed pretty easily onto the screen… **

**Okay on to the interview! N'JOY!**

Me: welcome, welcome! Today is another interview for all of my loving readers and followers, and—

Troutclaw: don't forget me!

Me: but you didn't help me.

Troutclaw: *pout* but I…

Me: dude, you didn't even say anything in this chapter.

Troutclaw: *sniffles*

Me: okay, sorry about that. Troutclaws really just mad because I was going to do a one-shot with him, Emberwing, and Beetleeyes finding a bit of catnip and going wild…

Emberwing: that would've been pretty funny, though…

Me: yeah, maybe in the future…

Me: OKAY! First question, from **Featherwish of Windclan**! WHOO!

Me: okay, this is for Emberwing: 'did you ever have feelings for anyone besides Troutclaw?'

Emberwing…

Troutclaw: well? We are waiting…

Emberwing: No, not really. I met Troutclaw my first day as an apprentice, so I don't think I had any other chances to meet other possible toms.

Me: Troutclaw! How dare you hog my Embie! She needs to have CHOISES!

Troutclaw: hmmph…

Me: nudges Troutclaw out of the computer, whistling innocently.

Troutclaw: AHHHH HELP MEEE!

Emberwing: shouldn't we go…

Me: pfft, he'll be fiiineee…

Troutclaw: *distant* what is that?! Is that… ah! AHHHH!

Me:… I sent him into the recesses of my mind.

Emberwing:… what in Starclan is in there?!

Me: Maya, my Evil me

Emberwing: like a Darksoul?

Me: yeah, you could say that…

Troutclaw: HELP ME! SHE WANTS TO DRESS ME IN KITTYPET CLOTHES!

Me: did I mention Maya has a thing for cats dressed in coustumes?

Emberwing:… O-on to the next question! For… Me! From one of Emberfall's regular commenters, Smokeblade27! 'durring the scilent vigil, you said you wanted the feelings to stop. Did you not want Troutclaw to be your mate anymore?'

Emberwing: *glares at Emberfall*

Me: IM SORRY, OKAY?!

Emberwing: okay, to all of you confused readers out there, the idiot writer messed up her wording and made it sound like I wanted the feelings to stop. It was SUPPOSED TO SAY: looking up at the stars, blah blah blah, she realized she didn't want the feelings to stop.

Me: im sorry, im sorry! Ill fix it and update the chapter, IM SORRY!

Emberwing: hmmph

Troutclaw: EMBERFALL IM SO SO SO SORRY, JUST TAKE ME BACCKKK!

Me: well, that's all the time we have today, folks! I hope you enjoied this little interview! If you're upset about how short it was, you should've commented questions :I

Troutclaw: SAVE ME! SOMEBODY, SAVE MEEEEE!

Till next time,

Emberfall!


	23. Yarrow and Explinations

**Hello, my beautiful readers~ I love you all so much! I'm sorry if I ever get you guys mixed up with one another, I don't know why I do, but I do… anyways!**

**Some of yall's guessing in the comments is so right, it makes me wonder if I'm the only one without a mind-reading ability…**

***and I love you all too much to hit you guys with shoes… most of the time***

**Anyways, (again) enjoy! I'm sorry I'm not updating everyday like I used to, but it all depends on how much energy, motivation, and reviews I have **

**N'Joy!**

Emberwing was panting when she awoke. Her stomach was still convulsing from the long-gone pains, but thankfully her new denmates were still all snoring into their nests. Her mind was racing. Sure, she knew the Darkforest wasn't the nicest of places to learn and sharpen her battle skills, and that it was a place for purely evil cats, but it had never really struck her as her doing something evil until she discovered that she would help in the destruction of Starclan. What would her Clanmates think, when they heard she was with the Darkforest, that she would kill her own ancestors and make them fade away?!

_No, I just wont tell them! Ill fix this myself." _Emberwing thought, but she then frowned. _Yeah, lets just stop Silverdust, the strongest cat, dead or alive. _Emberwing knew Silverdust had a special hatred for Starclan, and that sounded like a good place to start in this seemingly futile attempt.

She had to find out why Silverdust hated Starclan.

Shaking her head against a droplet of cold, Emberwing was shocked out of her thoughts at small white dots, falling from a light grey sky.

"That's snow," a voice called behind her, and Emberwing turned to see four tiny bodies barreling straight towards her with Robinflight padding a little ways behind. Momentarily pushing her worries to the side, she pretended to stagger as the kits latched themselves onto her calico fur, their tiny claws like thorns.

"Die, you Windclan mange-pelt!" Flamekit yowled, pummeling Emberwing's ears with the strength of the kit that he was. As the kits climbed onto her back, she was subjected to padding around the edge of the clearing as cats peeked their heads out of their dens, both reveling at the early snow and the poor warrior that was Emberwing being bossed around by the loud kits.

"You look like you could use some help," Troutclaw called, greeting her with a lick to her cheek. he padded towards the entrance, and Emberwing was confused until she saw him come back with a reed in his jaws.

"Go play reed toss and leave poor Emberwing alone," Robinflight ordered, and in no way were the kits fazed as they hopped down and began chasing the reed.

"Kits," her old mentor scoffed as Troutclaw went to grab fresh-kill for them both. "Emberwing, isn't it about time you start looking for a mate?" Robinflight prompted, settling down next to her and waiting for an answer.

"I, uh… Me and Troutclaw, we… um," Emberwing forced out, stubbornly blaming her stuttering on shivers and not the fact that her heart raced when she spoke his name.

"What about me?" Troutclaw asked as he padded over, a rather large fish in his maw.

"Oh, we were just talking about how it was that Emberwing needs herself a mate!" Robinflight mewed gleefully, unaware of how both young warriors were staring down at their fish, trying not to laugh as Robinflight was thinking.

"Oh, What about Thunderpelt, he's a handsome tom, and I'm sure he'd be a great father!"

Troutclaw was now choking on his mouthful of fish he'd just taken, while Emberwing tried to get the queen to stop listing all of Thunderpelt's 'perks'

"Robinflight, I already have a mate, okay?!" she forced out between the giggles that had started a moment before.

"I know, honey. Just because there's grey on my muzzle doesn't mean I'm a fish-brain."

Troutpaw finally stopped heaving for air and turned towards the queen, stunned.

"You better be in the nursery before I'm out, I'd like you to be my denmate for a while,"

Now it was Emberwing's turn to choke, and she was pretty sure Troutclaw would've too if he wasn't smart enough to stop eating while Robinflight was speaking to them.

"Robinflight, I just became a warrior! I have no business thinking about leaving my new duties to get fat and have a couple of fur balls right now."

"Whatever you say, honey!" the queen called before getting up and padding towards her mate, Nighttallon.

Emberwing enjoyed the rest of her morning meal in a some-what comfortable silence, but thoughts of the Darkforest and all of the work she still had to do to save her warrior ancestors, so she followed through with her plan.

"I'm going to see Stormwater… I'm not feeling so well," she muttered and padded quickly away before Troutclaw could ask her what exactly was wrong.

She pushed herself though the entrance to the medicine den, where she was happy to see Stormwater teaching Mistkit the basics of the herbs he had laid out before him.

"Ah, hello, Emberwing! What seems to be the problem?"

Twisting her face, she followed through with her little act. "I think I ate a bad fish, my stomach is twisting and I feel sick." To put emphasis her point, she winced and massaged her stomach with one of her paws.

"Mistkit, in situations like these, where a cat has a bellyache from eating crow-food, I give them yarrow and they spit it all out, then I give them poppy seed to help them rest."

_Mouse-dung!_ Emberwing thought as the medicine cat and the small kit went back, deeper into the den to grab the needed herbs. She thought he would just give her the poppy, not make her vomit up the fish she'd eaten with Troutclaw! She was mourning the waste of the perfectly good fish, and mourning the blissful taste-less ness of her mouth for the last time for a while.

"Here, Emberwing, go eat these in the dirtplace so you don't make a mess in the camp, then come back for the poppy seeds."

The unwilling but seemingly grateful warrior took the foul-smelling herbs and padded into the even fouler smelling dirtplace. Trying to breathe through her mouth, she chomped down and swallowed the yarrow, and felt a moment of peace before her stomach gurgled.

~~ *ill save you guys the details*~~

Emberwing woozily padded from the dirtplace back to the medicine den, where Mistkit was asking what poppy seeds did.

"They make you sleepy," Stormwater explained, "and they help with cats who are suffering from shock, pains, or just to help bring on sleep,-

"Which is exactly what I need right now," she interrupted. She would've felt bad about it, but she was too busy cursing yarrow and Stormwater and whatever could make a cat vomit as bad as she did.

Stormwater offered her some from his paw, and she lapped them up, and padded back towards the warrior's den.

The effects of the poppy seeds were starting to work their magic; Emberwing felt dizzy but tired, and as soon as her eyes slipped shut she was asleep.

Emberwing woke in the Darkforest, her plans going right as she had, well, planned. It was bare, all cats who were alive were awake and doing clan duties, but there were some hints that Emberwing was far from the only cat in the forest.

Opening her mouth to catch a scent of the silver she-cat, she was again overwhelmed by how rank the smell of old blood was. Finally, after gagging a few times, she caught the smell of the leader and went in pursuit.

The scenery was bleak; dead trees occasionally splashed in some poor cat's blood, soggy, mushy brown soil, and a black starless sky.

Emberwing could say honestly that she hoped she wasn't dying anytime soon.

After moons of useless searching, she was startled as a large black tom leapt on top of her.

Not even waiting for the red haze to take over, Emberwing swiped the unsuspecting tom's muzzle, and was greeted with a yowl, though not the tom's.

"Black, get off of her!" at the sound of Silverdust's voice, Emberwing slid easily from the tom's loosened grip and shifted to bare her neck for their leader. She was beyond stunned when the dead warrior, Black, didn't bare his, and she prepared to see his bloody death.

Silverdust padded right passed him, with only a warning glare.

"What are you doing here, Red? Why are you asleep," Silverdust asked after Emberwing sat and fixed her neck.

"A bellyache," is all she said, not wanting the leader to ask any more questions.

"I see. Are you up for some personal training, then?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you a question, about the attack on Starclan coming up."

Silverdust looked unfazed, and circled the young warrior.

"You want to know where in the ranks you'll be, of course… why, you'll be right up front with me and Fall, along with all of the other elder fighters, such as Black, who has seemed to have left us for the moment."

Emberwing winced, not wanting to correct Silverdust but aching to have an answer. "Actually, I was going to ask why you hate Starclan as much as you do."

Emberwing was suspecting the she-cat to glare at her, maybe tear out her throat or rip open her stomach and then make her fight, but all the glowing leader did was laugh. She laughed happily, but the giggles sent shivers up her spine.

"You really want to know? Okay, but don't say you didn't ask for this sad story you're about to hear."

The she-cat settled down and closed her blood stained eyelids to start her story.

"I was very popular amongst the toms, you see, when I was alive. I was flirted by many, from all five clans, yes," she admitted at Emberwing's stunned expression, "I lived back when Skyclan was still in the forest. Now, there was one tom that I fell in love with, named Shortgrass. He was a very handsome tom, with long golden fur and beautiful green eyes. We became mates, and soon I was in the nursery, heavy with kits.

"That night, I was visited by Starclan. They told me of a prophecy, one that had to do with my little kits. It was a prophecy of blood, of death and suffrage; they wanted me to kill my kits when they were born, so the prophecy would never be fulfilled.

"But, as im sure you will one day experience for yourself, as a queen and a mother you are bonded with your kits in a way that no other cat can understand, even before they are born. That bond is full of love; it is the only thing that will keep them alive when they are born. I refused them, telling them that even though they could be killers, that I would still care for and love them, because they were mine.

"the night that I kitted, both of my precious kits were born dead. At first, I was too filled with grief to do anything, Shortgrass had left me for another, and I was left alone with two small, cold bodies. I merely told myself that it was my fault for them being born dead, that my bond with them as a mother wasn't strong enough, but again that night Starclan spoke to me in a dream.

"They explained with ears down and tails drooping that they had killed my kits. My little Goldkit and Greenkit themselves were there; forever small and unable to even speak, stuck at the state at which they died. At the stage at which they were _killed_.

"I almost went insane, when I woke that morning. I told my leader of what Starclan had done, but he didn't believe me. He said that Starclan wouldn't do such a horrible thing; he even went as far as to say that maybe the kits died just because Starclan didn't think I would be a good mother.

"I killed him out of grief that night, but I was caught before I was able to wash his blood off of my paws. I was claimed insane, and deathberries forced down my throat."

Emberwing was in tears, a new, burning hatred in her heart for Starclan.

"And that, little Red, is why I am going to destroy Starclan."

**:'( even though I hate Silverdust, I will be stunned if you still have no feelings other than hate for her… me myself has tears in my eyes… anyways XD**

**I hope you guys liked this longer-than-normal chapter, and any comments, requests, or PMs are more than welcome **

**i wont be posting for a few days; im going to be a cashier for my uncle's booming business... maybe ill find my Troutpaw... 3 :3**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: do you think Silverdust's reason for hating Starclan is valid? if no, why? ten answers, and I will list all of you commenter's names :)**

**Do you want your cat to be in this story? Post his/her warrior name, (and dark soul name if you want them to be in the Darkforest) along with a brief description of appearance and personality! **

**Thanks for reading, **

**Emberfall~~~**


	24. Prospects and Shock

**Hey! Im back in business, after three days of sleeping in a car… but we won third place ribs and third place pulled pork, winning Reserve Champions! There were lots of potential Troutclaws there, but I was so BUSY I could only watch and dream **

**YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! As a reward, I shall now list all of your names from comments on the latest chapter:**

_**Flamepelt100, Featherwish of Windclan, XxGingershadexX, Candybunnies, Guest, Smokeblade27, BrightSun03, Woot, Silver wolf rain, Blazing Ice Dragon, Abby, ApocalypseAmerican, StormxRaven…**_** you guys are the people who make this story continue and be possible, *along with all of you other readers and commenters***

**Okay, here we go!**

**N'Joy!**

Emberwing was sore when she awoke. Silverdust and a reluctant Black trained with her until she felt the familiar twist in her stomach that warned her that her body was waking. She uncurled from her ball now, wincing at the horrible taste her earlier vomiting had caused, and she padded towards the entrance to see if she could find any honey to soothe her scratchy throat and the taste of bile coating her mouth.

"Emberwing, Emberwing! Can we go into the territory with you, please?" Flamekit called, followed by Lightkit, Mistkit, and Greykit.

Emberwing remembered what it was like as a kit herself, her, Stripekit, Redkit, and Nightkit trying to trail Heroncall or some other warrior out of the camp to explore the territory. She was just about to crush their hopes when Reedstar padded over and saved her from the sure complaints to come.

"You kits are still young; in five moons you will become apprentices and then it'll be your mentor's responsibly to show you the territory. Now, go run along."

"I hope Emberwing will be my mentor," Flamekit announced to his siblings as they padded away.

Lightkit was about to comment when Reedstar cleared his throat to get her attention.

"I would like you to go to the gathering tonight, along with Troutclaw and Beetleeyes, if you're feeling better from earlier. Stormwater told me you ate a bad fish?"

"More like a minnow," Emberwing lied, "and I will be more than ready for the gathering later."

Seeming satisfied, Reedstar nodded and padded off. Emberwing squinted at the sun, which was almost completely set, from her sleeping through the whole day because of the poppy.

Emberwing didn't find any honey, but she did find a patch of honey suckles that she greedily lapped at while the sky got dark. She padded back right as the patrol was about to leave, so she fell in step with Troutclaw and Beetleeyes, and joked the whole way. Right as they met the familiar taste of the other three clans, questions popped up in Emberwing's head. "Would Stripepaw be there? What about Nightpaw, and Morningbird? Thinking back and counting the gatherings she'd been to, none of the three cats had been present, and if her moon-count was right, both her brother and Nightpaw would be warriors now.

Troutclaw was beckoned away by Thunderpelt to meet a couple of Shadowclan cats, and Beetleeyes had disappeared among the throng of cats and mixed scents to find herself a spot for when the leaders spoke, so Emberwing was left alone to search the crowd for any familiar Thunderclan pelt.

Her eyes fell upon Nightpaw's sleek black coat.

His eyes met hers, and she noticed he looked tired, and his ribs were visible beneath his fur. She was worried, but dismissed it as lack of prey in the freezing air; Emberwing herself was quite skinny, usually eating the smaller fish so the rest of the clan could be full.

Nightpaw beckoned to her with his tail, and she made her way over.

"Hello, Nightpaw." Emberwing greeted him when she pushed past the last of the cats. They were on the very edge of the clearing, partially shrouded in shadows and undergrowth.

"I'm Nightmask, now." Is all he said.

"Congratulations, I've also become a warrior… I'm Emberwing now.

Nightmask said nothing, no utter of congratulations or comment on her new name, and Emberwing grew slightly irritated.

"Look, it's obvious you don't want to talk, so why did you call me over?"

Nightmask looked unfazed. "So Stripefang could speak with you," he spoke, like it was obvious.

A shadow separated its self from the rest, and her brother padded forwards with a glint in his eyes. He was slightly larger than her, and his pelt, completely unlike Nightmask's, was shining even in the dim light and he looked well-fed.

"Hello, sister."

"H-hello," Emberwing stuttered, surprised by his formalities.

"Are you well?" he inquired, his voice sounding normal as he asked the question, but his eyes made her think that he wouldn't care even if she had white-cough.

"Fine, you?"

"I am well; I have just finished grieving, actually."

Grieving? Emberwing wondered which elder had passed away, and she was about to ask when Stripefang spoke again.

His voice was soft, but cold. "Why didn't you come to grieve our mother, sister?"

Their mother… Splashfur? No, she had seen her earlier that day… then who was he—

Morningbird.

Morningbird was dead.

Dead.

"How did she…" Emberwing whispered brokenly.

"She was attacked by a fox."

A fox? Emberwing knew Morningbird was strong enough to survive a fox attack… Stripefang was lying.

"How did she really die?" Emberwing snapped, scowling at her brother, her gaze only wavering as she glanced at Nightmask, who had just been… sitting there. His eyes were blank.

"…I… She… Morningbird really killed by—

"May all cats be blessed by Starclan, until next full moon." The gathering was over, and it was so cold the clans were already leaving. Emberwing had just been glaring at Stripefang, not even noticing how the leaders had all spoken, how she had missed her warrior name being announced to the clans.

"Well, until next time, sister," Stripefang called, turning to pad away, Nightmask copying his every move.

"Wait! You didn't finish who killed mother!"

"What are you talking about, Emberwing? I said mother died of Green-cough."

**WOAH.,.**

**What do you guys think of that?!**

**QUESTION IF THE DAY: when your warrior character was a kit, did he/she ever try to sneak out? xD Wildkit, (my personification of my warrior) did, but she always got caught…**

**I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter; sorry if is was sort of shortxD**

**Till next time,**

**Emberfall**


	25. Confrontations and Deepening love

**Hello, my dear readers xD all of your comments and support make me smaile so, so much everyday… you guys have no idea how much I rely on you all to keep this story going forward! I actually had a dream last night, that you guys all just stopped reading, and I just gave up and killed all of the characters…**

** ya, I can promise you THAT won't happen, but it's true, that I need your support to make this thing happen :)**

**A SPECIAL THANKS TO BRIGHTSUN03 FOR TELLING ME THAT I HAD ACCIDENTLY COPIED LAST CHAPTER ONTO HERE! in my defence, I am realllyyy tired xD**

**okay, enough with the sappy crap, enjoy the chapter:**

_You are nothing, Emberwing. You don't even deserve that warrior name of yours. You don't deserve to be a warrior. You don't deserve to serve Riverclan. You don't deserve to be ALIVE. You should do every cat a favor and just go—_

Emberwing shook herself out of the ever reoccurring dreams with a pained gasp. Usually, the only thing that woke her from the Voice was her pains, which were- thank Starclan- becoming less so, but still strong enough to wake her.

The sky outside was a dark grey, and the cold snip in the air didn't help her hunger, pains, and the almost empty fresh-kill pile. Emberwing guessed she would go out and hunt; maybe see if there was a break in the ice that covered the slow moving river where they caught almost all of their fish. She was about to push herself out of the entrance when a familiar scent caught her and made her turn around with a rare smile. There stood Troutclaw, padding over with a kind smile and a happy trot.

"Hello, my beautiful mate!" Troutclaw, like herself, still seemed to be having a hard time wrapping their head around the fact that they were now mates.

Ducking her head to hide her growing smile, she replied with a smooth "Hi,"

The two cats awkwardly made their way towards the river, when Emberwing had a flashback of their first time out into the territory. Back when Beetleeyes hated her and Troutclaw was… well, mostly the small, except smaller. The clan was starving, and there was an old twoleg nest full of warm, plump mice…

"Troutclaw, do you think if we go to the abandoned twoleg nest, we could catch some mice?" catching mice was natural for Emberwing, although she blamed that on the fact that she had been born and partially raised in Thunderclan, while Troutclaw and Beetleeyes still had to be taught, and are nowhere near as good as her.

"Good idea! I know Riverclan isn't fond of mice, but how skinny and hungry we all are, I don't think they'll mind much.

Emberwing was about to reply to his enthusiastic response with a purr when the stench of Windclan overwhelmed her senses.

"Is Riverclan really as desperate as to eat _mice_?" The voice belonged to a large white tom from the other side of the border that they shared with the rabbit-chasers. He was with two other cats, apprentices. The two smaller cats seemed to just have left the nest; they had large looks of wonder plainly on their faces and they looked more than fearful at the sight of Troutclaw and Emberwing.

"I don't know, is Windclan stupid enough to pick a fight with two barely-apprentices cowering behind his one warrior," Troutclaw spat, his fur raising along his spine, and his tail already fluffed up to twice it's normal size.

The warrior hissed, clearly annoyed at his current disadvantage, but he seemed to understand that he had no chance of winning.

"Fine, but just remember, even if you're about to die, don't you dare try and steal from Windclan territory." As much as Emberwing respected this tom for understanding his disadvantage and choosing to not get his two apprentices injured, her darker side couldn't help but be disgusted; if he was a part of the Darkforest and said that… Emberwing didn't even want to think what Fall and Silverdust would do to a cat that backed down from a battle.

"You don't have to worry about Riverclan eating your precious bile-on-legs. I'd rather eat _squirrel _before that," answered Emberwing, closing the conversation and gently guiding Troutclaw away with her tail.

"Thanks for that," he breathed after a while.

"I didn't do anything…?"

"I mean, for taking over there. I panicked when I saw him… I was worried about your safety, that's all."

For a moment, Emberwing felt like she would collapse from how heavy her heart had become.

"I can protect myself, you know," she said, purring, amused. She flicked Troutclaw's nose with her tail, and ducked out of the way from his slow, sheathed swipe.

"I bet I can beat you to the abandoned nest," Troutclaw challenged, his eyes narrowing in fake anger as her chased her around the small clearing they were in. She easily dodged his feeble swipes, and upon hearing his challenge, darted away in what the direction of the nest.

"Okay!" she called out from behind her, laughing when she heard his yowl from dismay from behind her.

"Hey, you cheated!"

"What, do you think you can't beat me?" she called back, and almost tumbled over as she saw he was almost upon her.

"Hey, that's not fair, you have longer legs than I do," Emberwing protested, a pretend face of hurt on her face.

"Well, you had a head-start so we're even!" he called, now a few fox-lengths ahead of her.

Cursing her shorter legs, she pumped them as hard and fast she could, dodging shrubs, undergrowth, and the occasional tree and boulder.

"I win," Crowed her mate, hopping around the twoleg nest like a frightened frog.

"But—

Before she could protest and come up with an excuse, Troutclaw pounced on her and tackled her to the ground. His claws were sheathed, but he was too heavy for her to push off. Her darker side ran through all of the moves that she had been taught that would get her out of these types of situations, but almost all included unsheathed claws; she instead went limp.

"Hah, give up already?"

Feeling Troutclaw letting up, she twisted her body to flip him underneath her, so she was the one holding him down.

"Nope," she giggled, and started gliding her fluffy tail down his hind legs, struggling to keep him still as he laughed.

"S-stop! Tha-that tickles!" Troutclaw struggled some more, to no avail.

"Not until you surrender," chided Emberwing, smirking as he struggled to escape again.

Another swipe of her tail, and he looked like a fish flopping out of the water.

"O-okay! I surrender, you win!"

Pausing a moment and smirking into his joy-filled eyes, she leaped off of him and licked his cheek lovingly.

"I'm so thankful you're my mate," Troutclaw breathed happily, closing his eyes and leaning into her licks to his ears and cheeks.

Emberwing's chest was almost overflowing with warmth, and she gave one last lick to him, this time between his eyes, and led him darker into an outcropping of trees with a happy smile.

**Yay! I tried to add a bit of sappy love stuff in here… you guys like? xD I hope so!**

***no offence to any of my Windclan readers, of course***

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: what do you think is going on with Stripefang and Nightmask…? ;D**

**Until next time, **

**EmBeRfAlL *haha… that looked like emberfail… xDD***


	26. Tatics and Surprises

**Hello again, my amazing readers! **

**So, in this chappie, there will be a couple of introductions to reader-based cats! Woo! I'm sorry it took a while for them to make an appearance, but it's harder than it sounds to add in something that you yourself didn't come up with :-* **

**Onto the new chapter! xD**

That night, their training was easier than usual. They were tonight training in the blood river, which usually empty except for the usual cat that was dared to jump in. Emberwing, not wanting to be covered in the think, slimy, foul-tasting blood, had never been fish-brained enough to jump in, but the cats who did claimed it was bottomless.

The blood river was about five fox-lengths across, about the same size as the river in Riverclan at its widest point. It was slow-moving, with little in the ways of rocks and branches in it.

Fall was taking over today's lesson, which was simple for Emberwing to follow, coming from Riverclan; they had to fight in the river, while keeping their heads above the wa-blood. Emberwing had already been taught this as a part of her warrior training, held no complaints besides crawling into the cold blood.

She was paired up with a tom by the name of Shard, and to be honest, he made the fur crawl. He was an unusually marked cat, with a dirty white fur and these black patches that seemed to have no pattern, and they all ended off with rough, spikey ends that didn't look comfortable in the slightest. He had claws that were exactly like his fangs: sharp and hooked.

For the training, Emberwing had to push Shard under the river of blood for five heartbeats. He was slightly bigger than her, but his claws made her think twice about going at him. The blood tugged her fur, and her paws felt disgusting, treading the liquid with a hidden grimace. Shard, at least, didn't look too comfortable, either.

Fall had already called for us to begin, but most cats were struggling just to stay afloat, and some cats, like Emberwing and Shard, were sizing each other up; him how to escape her claws, and her to place –and keep- him under.

The first signs of struggle and fights broke out as some of the fighters got a rhythm going. Emberwing was still thinking, at a loss, on how to take on this massive tom without getting her fur shredded, when she had an idea. Shard didn't know she was Riverclan, so he didn't know how good at swimming she actually was. All she had to do was pretend to struggle, and…

"Are you okay," he muttered gruffly, not really caring, but he was growing bored as Emberwing copied the looks of horror of some cats, who's heads were barely above the flowing blood all around them.

Emberwing took a final breath, then sank under the water in what she was sure was an impressive show of struggle. Once completely submerged, she opened her eyes, regretting the choice, but still satisfied that she could see… but barely.

Slowly, she found her orientation and Shards' legs. Her chest was starting to twitch, but she had held her breath for much longer than how long she was planning to now. Pushing out her strong hind legs, she streamed over to his steady forepaws and gripped on in her jaws, clamping down, wincing as the iddmeadate struggle made her teeth sore. Trying not waste time as now her chest was whimpering for air, she yanked downwards with all of her might and squeezed her eyes shut in concentration. Shards' surprise was now gone, and he seemed to have a slight grasp of the situation as he started pumping his three free paws towards where Emberwing guessed the air was. Wincing as her teeth were again torn in her jaw, she fought against him and pulled him further under.

Her chest was now yowling for air, so she gave one last yank before letting go and pushing to the surface, praying that his head had been under for more than five heartbeats. Her head finally broke the surface, and she gasped in air and blinked her eyes against the droplets of blood from her fur that was falling into her eyes. She swam to the bank, collapsing into the dead grass on the edges and began the long task of grooming her blood soaked fur.

"Good job, Red! That was impressive how you pretended to be struggling to surprise Shard! He's, like, super mad right now!" Emberwing heard a voice from behind her, and she turned to see a silver she-cat with pure black eyes, like a snake's.

"I'm Soul," the cat, Soul, introduced.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Red."

"Oh, I already know that, mouse-brain! You're one of the strongest elders in the whole Darkforest! I really don't think there's a cat out here that doesn't feel fear or respect the sound of your name!"

Emberwing was amused at this she-cats declaration. "Oh? And which one do _you_ feel?"

"Well, I don't have to tell you, now do I?"

"Yeah? Well how about I…" Emberwing trailed off as she looked into he forest, and saw a white glowing form…

"Uh, hello, Red..." Soul was calling her name, but Emberwing barely heard her.

"I have to go… uh, to the dirtplace…Bye." And with that, Emberwing sped off towards the glowing form. Usually, she wouldn't even think about bothering Silverdust, but now something was different as she raced past the stunted trees.

That glowing cat wasn't Silverdust.

The glowing cat seemed to be lost or confused, so Emberwing took this moment to take cover behind a large boulder and peek at this strange cat. The cat was obviously a she, with her lean, small-ish body and light brown, almost honey colored fur. She had a white underbelly and darker brown spots on her spine and the base of her tail. Before Emberwing could pull her head back, two sets of green eyes met.

The glowing cat hissed and took a step back. Emberwing didn't mean to startle the she-cat, but taking a moment to access the situation, Emberwing considered that if she saw a blood stained cat peeking at her from behind a rock, she would probably freak, too.

"Who are you," she hesitantly called out, trying to look as non-killer of a cat as she could, which was kind of hard considering she was dripping in blood.

"I-don't kill me!" the she-cat seemed to cower, shrinking and looking as if she wished she would disappear.

"Don't worry, I won't, but... Who _are_ you?"

"I am Fawnleap."

As much as it helped to know this strange cat's name, she had been trying to ask why she was glowing without being rude.

"Okay, _what_ are you?"

As expected, Fawnleap looked indignant, almost offended. Well, at least Emberwing could claim she had tried to me nice.

"Are you kidding with me? You expect me to believe that you can't recognize me?!"

Emberwing shuffled. "Uh, yes?"

Fawnleap huffed. "Fine, but you better not make this mistake with others; I'm not as the others."

Emberwing was lost.

Completely.

"I am the Starclan Windclan leader."

**Ohh! You guys like? xD Soul WILL be back, I promise(: **

**Okay, so in the future I'm going to explain this now so it won't be confusing in the future:**

**~~~ In Starclan, like you've read from Smokeclaws how you just… appear in different places every day when they wake? Well, there are the four oldest Leaders from the five clans, (Skyclan included) that basically rule the cats in their respective clans when they die, and they can call any cat from their own clan to appear before them, and in their word, they can stay in that one place as long as their leader needs them. **

**CONFUSED? If anyone is, ill explain it again a bit longer in the next chapter! COMMENT IF YOU WERE CONFUSED!**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: besides how Emberwing did it, how would YOU have tackled Shard? xD I look forward to your replies, MAKE 'EM CREATIVE!**

**LOTS OF CAPS! **

**~~Emberfall**


	27. Introductions and Plans

**Hello, my super fantastic readers! I am going on vacation (again) for the weekend, but I am pretty sure I will have wi-fi, and therefore post every night or every other night… **

**To a comment I got the other day: NO! I NEVER get tired of hearing 'good job' and 'keep it up'! I am a –somewhat- complex machine, and comments like those are meh fuel :D ~~~ just don't go overboard, I don't want a tummy ache xD**

**175 reviews, you guys are AMAZING! **

**A/N? I am going to write a fanfiction for an anime called Sword Art Online, check it out if you're into anime and haven't seen it! (but im going to make it simple enough so if you haven't watched/read it you'll still understand it)**

**Subscribe to me to be the first to read it!**

"Starclan's _Windclan leader_?" Emberwing was aghast. What was Fawnleap doing here, in the Darkforest of all places?! Shouldn't she be chasing rabbits or something?

"Yes, hare-brain," the light brown leader mewed irritably.

Emberwing decided just to shake that off, for the moment at least. "Okay, so what are you doing in the Darkforest?"

"Wait, you know what this place is?" Fawnleap now look as stunned as Emberwing was sure she had looked heartbeats before.

"Uh, yes? What would I_ think _this place is, Starclan?"

"Yes! That's always what they've done in the past; they would tell the poor cats that they were Starclan warriors and this place was Starclan! I never thought they would actually tell you that…" Fawnleap was not muttering to herself, looking more lost than before and a little scared.

Catching Emberwing watching her, she put on a brave face. "So what, are you going to attack me, little blood warrior? Before you do, remember I've had more moons of practice than you have hairs on your pelt."

"Wa… No! I was just asking what you're doing here, not telling you that I was going to kill you!"

"Well, I'm looking for my sister." Fawnleap looked unwilling to tell Emberwing this piece of information.

"Your sister,"

"Yes,"

"And she's a Darkforest warrior?"

"Yes."

"Well then, what does she look like?"

"I don't remember."

Emberwing grew irritated. This conversation was going nowhere, and the blood on her fur was starting to cake in her fur and between her claws.

"What were you doing here, then?! Unless you at least know what she looks like, you're a rabbit sleeping in a fox's den! Do you have any idea what would have happened to you if it wasn't me who found you?!"

Fawnleap looked like a scolded kit. "I…" she looked up from her paws. "Wait, why _didn't_ you kill me?"

Emberwing searched for the right words to explain her current situation to the Windclan leader. "I don't… agree with what the Darkforest is planning to do in the future."

Emberwing was about to answer the question in her green eyes when she caught a hint of sliver in the corner of her eyes. Mouse-dung!

"You fish-brained Starclan warrior, sneaking around here! You're coming with me!" Emberwing latched her teeth around the smaller –but heavier—she cat's scruff, trying her best to make it like she was clenching her jaws but in reality she was trying not to cause the Starclan warrior any more pain than was necessary.

"Hey, what are you…" Fawnleap struggled, and Emberwing was forced to let go for a brief moment. "Just follow along if you want to survive!"

Fawnleap appeared lost, but she didn't struggle as much anymore. Catching the glow of silver again, Emberwing stopped her dragging and, with a threatening paw on the leader's throat, bared her neck to Silverdust.

"Return. Red, what have you caught here?" Silverdust's voice was stiff, almost wary.

"A Starclan warrior. She was sneaking around the forest like the filth she is." It made her mouth feel dirty to say those words about Fawnleap, and she was praying that she wouldn't be offended and make lightning bolts make her a smear on the ground with whatever powers she had.

"Do you know who she is?" Silverdust settled down onto the slightly bloody ground, and Emberwing copied her. Fawnleap looked highly uncomfortable, but she was sure that was the least of the leader's worries at the moment.

"Yes, Silverdust. She is Starclan's Windclan leader, Fawnleap."

Silverdust looked furious. She got up, and motioned for Emberwing to step back.

"So, you think it would be that easy, Fawnleap? Just crawl up here and kill me, so this thing would be over? I knew you were mouse-brained, but this…"

Fawnleap said nothing, but Emberwing was impressed at how she didn't flinch as the two cats met gazes. Did she _want_ to die?! As much as she didn't want to see the light brown cat bleed out before her eyes, she was wondering why Silverdust hadn't already striked.

"Silverdust, if I may ask, why haven't you already killed her?" The bigger of the two glowing cats chuckled, getting off Fawnleap except for one clawed forepaw on her chest.

"This, Red, is Fawnleap; my sister, and the cat that told me to kill my on kits."

Emberwing just stared at the smaller cat. Fawnleap had the courtesy to duck her head in shame and embarrassment. Silverdust turned back to the Starclan cat. The paw that was on her chest went up to her face. As only Silverdust could, she traced her claws softly across the now shivering Windclan leader's face, too soft to leave scratches but enough to leave little to the imagination on what she was going to do.

Emberwing was preparing for the images ahead when Silverdust abruptly pulled away.

"Red, I want you to kill her."

Fawnleap's eyes met her own.

Emberwing struggled for an excuse.

"Silverdust, instead of killing her, could we keep her hostage? Maybe we won't even have to fight, if we offered the Windclan leader of Starclan for a chunk of their territory. While that is taking place, we could probably get some information out of her."

Silverdust began to contemplate this.

"Fine, but when Starclan agrees to give us part of their territory for her, we will kill her. _You_ will kill her."

Emberwing looked away from Fawnleap's tear-filled eyes. "Yes, Silverdust."

**Woo! I sawrry, Fawnleap, but I have to take yewww hostageee… xxO**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: what excuse would YOUR CAT have come up with? xD I hope you guys enjoied this chapter, I sure did xD**

'till next time,

Emberfall


	28. Health and Surprises

**I AM SO MAD RIGHT NOW! I was halfway through this chapter and my computer glitches out and I lost all of my work XO **

**Anyways, so, so sorry this chapter took so long, I didn't have wi-fi at the beach **

**SO ENJOY and be lucky I didn't get so angry I threw my computer across the room… I almost did -.-''**

***Per request, more TroutxEmber***

Emberwing woke with the usual aches and pains in her head and stomach. It had been six sunrises since she had become a warrior; six sunrises since Troutclaw and her had become mates. Troutclaw shifted beside her, and she purred as his body twitched as if he was hunting in his sleep. Again, she felt another surge of affection for the brown haired tom. Thinking back on It, Emberwing was truly lucky that he was her mate. Troutclaw was one of the few younger male toms; he could've easily wooed any she-cat in Riverclan to be his mate. To tell the truth, Emberwing would've been content watching him from afar, but the fact that he also contained feelings for her was almost unbelievable. Being with him every day was like a dream, especially when her nights were becoming her own growing nightmare.

Troutclaw twitched again, his claws flitting in and out as a grin pulled at his sleeping jaws. With a flick to his sleeping body, Emberwing smoothly evaded the tails, paws, and the occasional ear of her fellow warriors on her way out of the den. The weather had let up some, allowing the thin coating of snow that had coated everything to melt and leave behind frigid puddles and break some of the ice on the river, but it was still far from comfortable weather for short-hairs like her. The fresh-kill pile was rarely greeted with a smile since they had begun to add mice to it, but it kept their ribs from showing and sickness from creeping in, which is all Emberwing cared about at the moment. And as much as the four fast-growing kits claimed it to be, mice didn't taste like fox-dung. There had actually been one point during their tantrum where Robinflight had broken down and threatened to take them to taste actual fox-dung so they would be grateful for the mouse. They were always quiet when they ate, now.

She shivered again, telling herself to suck it up against the claw-like winds that seemed to breed in the shallow dip where she was standing, but she leaned instinctually into the warmth and familiar smell of Troutclaw as he padded up next to her.

"Do you want to go out and see if we can find anything for the pile?" Troutclaw, ever since leaf-bare had started, was very tense when it came to the fresh-kill pile. He was always hunting in his spare time, and he was the last one to eat, taking the minnows or the skinniest, oldest bird on one else would touch. As much as the pile was half-filled with mice, his ribs were just barely visible in the right pose.

"Of course; that sounds wonderful." Okay, Emberwing knew she was stretching the truth a bit, but she didn't want to disappoint him by saying she has still aching from her pains that she hadn't told him about yet. They raced each other out of the entrance and to the river, where the fish were slowly coming back.

"I bet you can't stand to stay in to water for five heartbeats!" Troutclaw looked pumped up from the race, (which he –barely- won) and was looking like if Emberwing didn't take up the challenge, he would jump in just for fun.

"Yeah, I don't think I can…" Emberwing trailed off as she was given a two heartbeat warning: her pains weren't done with her today, yet. She had just opened her mouth to say something to Troutclaw when the first wave washed over her, and her legs buckled under her. Troutclaw stared for a moment at her twitching form, and he jumped into action, saying something about how he would be back in a moment with… Emberwing didn't catch the rest, her ears were ringing, drowning out whoever's name he had spoken. Her body felt hot and cold at the same time, and her eyes were washed out with flashes of black and white, they seemed to pulse and almost fight with one for another for dominance. Although her body was numb, she felt her limbs twitch uncontrollably. Emberwing was usually asleep when these bouts of pain and nausea racked her body, where the controlling power of the Darkforest robbed her of feeling of her sleeping body. She was more than lucky no cat had ever woken and witnessed her flailing around like her pelt was on fire.

"Ember….back…. brought…S… water…" Troutclaw's voice was almost overtaken by the ringing, and she only caught some of his fear-filled mew. She felt paws on her flaring belly, which was overcome with fire and snow. This continued for a few more fast-paced heartbeats before a fuzzy, cold object was pressed against her tongue, and she had no choice but to swallow, wincing through her blackened vision at the acrid taste. Another heartbeat and the black was bleeding from her vision, and she was full of pins and needles. Like a kit, she curled up in a tight ball, not responding to the frantic but loving licks of her panicking mate.

"What's wrong with her, Stormwater?!" she could finally hear past the ringing, and understood that Troutclaw had gone to grab the Riverclan medicine cat. Lately Emberwing hadn't seen the kind herb dealer, since he was testing Mistkit and here possibilities as his apprentice.

"Just give me a moment," he muttered, pressing his paws again to her belly, then her heart, which was racing.

"It seems," he began, sitting back with a huff from his rush over here, "That Emberwing is pregnant."

Pregnant? Emberwing? But these pains had been going on long before she and Troutclaw had gotten together… but this bout was different; more focused on her belly than her head.

Wait.

KITS?!

She started to panic.

_NO_, she yowled in her head_, not kits! Sure, she was more than thrilled, but think about the situation you're in, Emberwing! You are with evil forces! There will be a life-or-death battle just after your kits are born! You can't go against the Darkforest kits at your hips!_

Emberwing was pretty sure she wasn't the only one there who was in their own world of shock.

**Finally Emberwing did the deed! LoL XD **

**You guys like this chapter? I hope you did, since I typed it twice -.-**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY!: comment how many kits you want Emberwing to have, the genders, colors, and (if you want to) a brief personality of them! WILL USE THE ONES I LIKE THE BEST IN THE KIT POLL SOO TO GO UP! I will give you guys THREE DAYS! Happy brain storming, and remember: you may be the one to name them! *proper thanks and name showing will be excited, of course!* A.K.A you will get credit for the names. **

**GOOD LUCK! Till next time, **

**Emberfall, queen of somewhat good cliffies! 3**


	29. Cat names update

**Hello! I know I am giving yall three days to give me kit names, but I had the sudden urge to type XD so, here is an updated version of the cats in Riverclan, Thunderclan, and the Darkforest**

**(if I miss any, I so sawrry)**

**Hope this helps! **

**_RIVERCLAN_**

**Leader**: Reedstar- Light brown tom

**Deputy**: Hailheart- Tan tabby tom

**Medicine cat**: Stormwater- ragged, grey tom

Warriors:

Maplebelly- brown she-cat with lighter chest and underbelly

Moonstream- silver grey she-cat

Troutclaw- light brownish/grey tabby tom

Mosstail- dappled tabby tom

Lilyflower- white she-cat with black ears and feet

Splashfur- light grey she-cat

Apprentice: Whitepaw

Raggedear- dark brown tom with torn ears

Lakestep- tan she-cat

Beetleeyes: dark brown she-cat with black underbelly

Emberwing: calico she-cat with green eyes

Nighttallon- black tom with pale blue eyes

Webwhisker- white she-cat with grey rings

Pebblethorn- pure white tom

Thunderpelt- silver grey tom with darker face markings

Apprentices:

Whitepaw- smaller white tom with longer than average fur

Queens and kits

Robinflight- pale grey she-cat

Kits: Mistkit, Flamekit, Greykit, and Lightkit

Elders

Stonewhisker- grumpy grey tom

Lakewillow- very old, dappled grey she-cat

_**THUNDERCLAN**_

**Leader**: Cloudstar- fluffy grey and black tom

**Deputy**: Duskfur- black tom with white paws

**Medicine cat**: Ivytail- pure white cat

**Warriors: (just the important ones, though)**

Amberpelt- Dark brown she-cat with lighter face markings

Heroncall- dark grey tom

Stripefang- light grey tom with darker striper along his body

Nightmask- pure black tom with amber eyes

Redscreech- reddish brown tom

_**DARKFOREST**_

Silverdust- (dead) a seemingly white glowing she-cat with long-ish fur, red eyes, and a missing ear, along with countless scars and a blood star on her forehead.

Fall- Emberpaw's Darksoul, with the same pelt patterns, but her eyes are red, with only the smallest hint of green still there. Her body is bigger, fully grown, with small scars along her body. Silverdust's second-in-command.

Scratch- burly brown warrior tom; constantly fights with his sister.

Claw- light brown she-cat warrior; constantly fights with her brother.

Eye- black and white tom with one green eye and one blue.

Rain- silver she-cat with black dots along her body

Splash- tan tabby she-cat

Red- (Emberwing) calico she-cat

Rock- black tom with a fluffy tail

Moon- light grey she-cat with black paws and ears

Bark- brown and white tom

Hawk- large cream tom

Omar- (DF name unknown) orange cream tom with dark brown eyes and a cold attitude

Toby- (DF name: Thorn) smallish brown tom

Ace- (DF name: Cold) black and white tom with cold blue eyes

Nuga- (DF name: Bright) white she-cat with brown dapples

Black- (dead) one of the most elder dark forest cats

Shard- scary-looking unusually marked tom, with dirty white fur and black spots that end in spikey points

_**STARCLAN**_

Smokeclaws- long legged she-cat

Smallbelly- golden brown tom

Tornheart- dark brown tom

Fawnleap- Starclan's Windclan leader

Rainfall

Deepwound

Birdbeak

Eaglefeathers

Scarredface


	30. A Change of View and A Father's Worries

**Hay! **

**I love some of the kit comments I got, it makes me so happy that you guys commented! I get so excited every time I get an email for a comment… it took all of my will power to wait three days for another chapter **

**Appreciate this chapter, I had major writer's block and flipped a small table, like so : (****)****︵**

**N'Joy! (Expect a little bit of funni in this chapter) xD**

_**TROUTCLAW'S POV**_

Kits.

Kits.

_Kits_…

His kits.

Their kits.

Oh, great Starclan, help him.

Emberwing looked just as stunned as he felt, but she also looked a bit fearful. Her body was locked in place, her eyes as wide as the full moon. Her tail seemed to wrap unconsciously around her just-slightly swollen belly.

He was finally able to push against the swell in his throat and began firing questions at the ragged medicine cat in rapid succession.

"We are having kits?! When? Where? How many? Will Emberwing be okay? What were those pains she was having? Has any other cat experienced this?"

His mate was just still standing there, so he took the liberty of wrapping his tail around her shoulders. Stormwater looked unfazed by Troutclaw's questions, like he was used to them.

"As to how many kits, I have no way of knowing until she births, in around a moon, give or take a sunrise or two. I am guessing she will have them in the nursery, unless you would like to have her birth in the forest, you fish-brain. Her pains are normal when the kits are large, or in the wrong positions."

_Positions_? Kits had _positions_? He thought this was birthing, not hunting! And what did Stormwater mean, they were in the wrong position? Did he mean they would both come into the world at once, or something?

"And to your first question, Emberwing is having kits. I have no idea who the father is." At this, he looked at the calico cat beside him. She stared at him for a moment, digesting what he had said, and then cuffed him so hard he fell back onto his haunches.

"I was kidding," he muttered, before sniffing Emberwing's belly once again.

"I will have Whitepaw create a nest for you in the nursery, it will be ready by moonrise." With that he padded off, and left Troutclaw alone with his mate and their unborn kits. Oh, Starclan, what was he supposed to say?! Was she going to say anything to him about it? Did she still want to hunt, was she hungry?

"I'm going back to the camp. You should go walk around, clear your head; you look pretty stunned." Her voice was quiet, but still full of determination and just a bit of excited-ness.

Troutclaw felt the pull, once again, to tell Emberwing how much he loved her. She was having their kits; they were going to be a family. He was going to be a father to a beautiful kit or two. He was sure they would look like Emberwing, maybe with his eyes or his slightly longer fur.

"I love you, Emberwing. I know you'll be a great mother to our kits." He licked her ear, troubled by her fearful eyes but he was sure if he knew that little kits were going to pop out of him in a moon, he would freak a bit, too.

After exchanging goodbyes, they parted ways and he went darker into the forest. Now more than ever, he would have to hunt and fatten up his mate. Maybe he could catch a duck and line her nest with some fluffy down… Troutclaw wondered if he should play with Robinflight's kits to get ready for theirs, or ask Nighttallon some questions. That sounded like a good idea! Nighttallon, although older and a senior warrior, just had his first litter ever with the former deputy.

His tail held high and a mouse in his jaws, he pushed past the entrance and went to the nursery. He saw Emberwing being groomed by Lilyflower and being questioned by Beetleeyes and Maplebelly, where they all laughed and shot glances at him as he made his way over to the hole in the tree roots. There were little mews as Lightkit, Flamekit, Mistkit, and Greykit scented him and deserted the moss ball they were playing with.

"Troutclaw, can you tell us about fights you've been in?"

"Yeah, please? We promise to be quiet," Flamekit piped in. Troutclaw purred, and knelt down for a ride.

"How about a ride for right now, I'll tell you all a story later on, okay?"

And like that, Troutclaw was being steered around the clearing by the kits and looking for the familiar black pelt of the older father. Finally spotting the amber eyed tom, he let the kits off to swarm some other poor cat and nodded to Nighttallon.

"Congratulations, I heard from Robinflight that Emberwing is expecting?"

"Yes, we found out this morning. You would happen to have any advice, would you?"

The black tom looked thoughtful. "Try not to ask them if they're okay, because usually they get really cranky and just won't answer. When she does birth, I would recommend just staying out of everyone's fur, but if you insist to stay with her, be ready for a lot of screeching and claws digging into your pelt. Also, try not to sit on the kits. Or let them out of the camp because they _will_ try, and don't feed them certain typed of fish until they are old enough so they don't get belly aches."

Great Starclan, help him.

**I hope this one was funny! I tried to make this one showing the confusion and worry a father would feel when their mate has kits, because I wanted to.'**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: if you have a tom OC, how would he have reacted to this kind of situation? How about your female OC? **

**My cat Wildfire would've spent all of her moon and a half creating kit names… and none of them would have been any good xD**

**KIT POLL WILL GO UP SOON!**

'**till next time, Emberfall**


	31. Interragation and Irritation

**Heyyyy its EmberFall again! I want to thank all of my amazing commenters, and two in particular for their comments, Alleykat29 and (Guest) for their clever way of answering my questions of the days xD **

**ATTENTION: I am deciding to leak a couple of spoilers: **

**Three kits**

**Two toms, one she-cat**

**One of the names will be… Nah, I'll wait till they are born xD (But as far as I know, the prefix has only been used once in Erin Hunter's books!)**

**Anyways, thank you for all of your supporting comments and kit suggestions; they are always such a big mood lifter! **

**And P.S.: I update every day because when I read a good story and the thing says "I'll update once a month" I'm like WTH I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NAO! (And since the more u update, the more you are on the first page of warriors fanfic's *more readers*)**

**N'Joy!**

"What do you mean, 'No more training for the time being'?" Emberwing was aghast. She had been about to do another training lesson on ambushing when Fall had gone up to her and said that Silverdust wanted her to start interrogating Fawnleap.

"Exactly what I just said. You are well off enough to where you can take a break for a while without falling behind. Fall's gaze was cold, uncaring, and blood red. Without another word, she padded away, leaving Emberwing pouting and disgruntled, but as much as she hated to admit it, talking with Fawnleap would produce more results as far as their attack on Starclan in a little less than two moons. Padding over to where the Windclan leader was being guarded, she thought on what exactly she was going to ask. What did they need to know?

Emberwing was also planning on her escape. She had to make it look like she hadn't gotten any help, because she was sure however much Silverdust trusted Emberwing, if she was with the Starclan cat when she escaped, her neck wouldn't be connected to her body anymore.

Reaching where she was being held, in the hollow of a huge tree about three tail lengths above the ground, she took in how many guards there were: two. She recognized one of them as Black, one of the dead cats who lived here, and one other, a tan she-cat… err, she was most likely tan, under all of the blood dripping off of her pelt, at least.

Nodding to the two cats, she swiftly leapt up the dead tree, finding it easier than she thought to claw her way up the bark-less tree and into a rot-smelling hole, which could probably hold around three cats. As there were just she and the sleeping honey-brown leader, it was mostly comfortable. She stared at the cat, the Starclan Windclan leader and Silverdust's sister, the one who wanted two kits to never have a chance at life. Whatever pity she had for Fawnleap was hanging by a whisker from being blown away by the shared hatred of both the Darkforest and Silverdust's personal reasons.

None-too-kindly, she nudged the leader awake. Green eyes met her own, and instead of the fear Emberwing was expecting to see, like she was_ hoping_ to see, she saw relief in the other she-cat's eyes.

"Ah, finally, Red! I was hoping to see you soon!" Fawnleap stretched in the small space from her sleeping, smiled, and _licked Emberwing's shoulder_. Okay who did this cat think she was?! She was a _Darkforest warrior_; she could be a killer if she wanted to!

"What did you just do," Emberwing hissed out between her fangs, trying not to claw this cat's ears off. Since when were they friends, or anything similar to that?! This cat was crazy.

**So, so sorry for the short chapter, I have such bad writer's block that I have a migraine and I cant concentrate :( ill post first thing in the morning tomorrow, though **** sawrry**

**Question of the day:? What would you/ur OC say to Fawnleap, in the same situation that Emberwing is in?**

**Iwts, (I Will Type Soon)**

**EmberFall**


	32. Struggling and A Losing Fight

**Yes, here I am. I am in a very, very dark mood right now. Don't believe me? I'm currently writing how every cat in this story will/could die. I know… but good news: I was really flying by the seat of my pants as far as the plot, but I was just staring out the car window yesterday with thunder loud enough to be heard over my ear buds, (which is no small feat, I listen with max volume) and I now know how this story will end.**

**It only took me 33 chapters.**

**I predict there will be around ten more chapters.**

**As to a comment made a couple of days ago, there are no bad kit names, and I appreciate each and every suggestion.**

**This chapter will be a little… moody. I'm listening to 'This Is Halloween' and slowly turning emo…**

Emberwing was successful in containing her irritation into a hiss, but barely. She was going to try and be decent, but hey, she _was_ a Darkforest cat, after all. She couldn't go and soil their image.

"Don't… touch me." Hurt flashed through Fawnleap's eyes, but it was quickly masked with resignation.

"So, first off: Is Starclan planning to attack the Darkforest?" Emberwing was proud on how cold her tone was. That would show that Starclan cat to get comfy with her!

"Are you hare-brained?! Like I would tell you something like that!" her voice was panicked. Emberwing could almost scent it wouldn't take much to break this cat, but as weak-willed this leader was, she looked determined to keep her mouth shut. They were in a staring contest it seemed; the first to look away was, as if they were in mutual agreement, the weakest. _Heh, she underestimates me. I'll show her! _

Emberwing grew bored, she was done playing. She began to think about how this cat wanted a queen to kill her kits, and she felt a rush of dark amusement as she felt the red leaking into her vision, and Fawnleap's fear as her eyes turned the red that Fall and Silverdust had.

It was a new… trick Silverdust had showed her.

Finally, the light brown she-cat looked away, head down, but still didn't answer her question, so Emberwing took it a step further. Faking a sigh, she got up and poked her head out and called to Black.

"Hey, did Silverdust say I had to keep her un-injured?"

Black's face lit up. "What, is she resisting?" his claws raked the ground, obviously imagining the Windclan leader's pelt instead.

"Yes, but nothing I can't handle; that's why I'm asking: can I hurt her?"

The she-cat guard nodded, after a moment of murmuring with Black. "We think you can, as long as she doesn't bleed to death, get any life-threatening infections… you know."

A feral grin stretched Emberwing's jaw as she glanced back into the tree, where Fawnleap was pretending not to listen and instead washing herself, but her ears were pricked and she was trembling.

"Yeah, I do know. Thanks," the two guards nodded and began their pace anew, and Emberwing turned her gaze to the now shaking she-cat.

"No! No… please don't! I really don't know anything about any upcoming attacks!" her voice was shaky, and she was fighting to stop shaking and convulsing. Emberwing was getting irritated, now.

"You expect me to believe _you don't know anything?!_ You are the Windclan leader of Starclan! You control every dead Windclan cat and you want me to think that you're being kept in the dark?"

"You don't understand! They don't trust me because I am Silverdust's sister! It doesn't help that I was the one to see the prophecy about her kits, thus turning her into what she is today…"

The leader trailed off, glancing at Emberwing, wary to find out if her explanation was enough to keep her from being clawed, but Emberwing's eyes were cloudy. She was confused. Her eyes closed, and she was in a world of darkness.

_I'm… scared. Why was I thinking like that? My thoughts were so choppy… so… bloody; so red. I'm scared! I'm losing control of the red! I don't want to be stuck in there… it's too dark! _

_She was now watching what had happened since she came to the Darkforest in a body that no cat could see. She saw a bloody cat walking with Fall. She looked familiar, but she was dripping in so much red it was scary. Every cat was keeping a good distance away from her, like she would lash out at each and every one of them, and she believed it. This she-cat's eyes were scary, like Silverdust's._

_But that's what clued her in._

_The eyes._

Her _eyes._

_Great Starclan… that's… me? I look just like Silverdust… she looks so… disappointed… that she can't fight any cats. That she can't spill anymore blood, tear any fur… can't shred any ears…_

_No! She has to stop those thoughts! _

_She watches herself as she rejects Fawnleap's affection. How she was turning into Black, Silverdust, Fall… all of them. She was turning into something too dark for her to handle. _

_She screeched in a mixture of shock, fear, and horror when she saw her face at the moments that grin had stretched across her face. She looked like the personification of every story the queens and elders had told her. Only worse._

_Much worse._

_She sees how scared Fawnleap is. She feels the same way as Emberwing feels now. The _Real_ Emberwing, not this cat. Not the bloody cat, but Emberwing, the real one._

_Yes! That bloody cat was just the bad part of her! Just the vile part. Emberwing was the whole thing! She was the real one here and she… she…_

_She would not be devoured by herself._

"Red? Red! Are you okay?" Fawnleap was whispering in her ear; it tickled.

She sits up. Her head feels funny. Light. Her thoughts are simple. She hopes it can stay like this.

Fawnleap looks… funny, too! Her face looks scared, but she is also happy! She looks like Troutclaw did when they found out they were having kits! That made Emberwing giggle, which turned into a purr, which took a couple of moments to stifle.

Fawnleap took a deep breath. "Your name isn't really Red, is it." She said this like a statement, and Emberwing giggled again at her serious expression, trying to keep a hold on the light feeling, which was drifting away, leaving her old, drama-burdened self back in control.

"What makes you say that?"

"Your pains. You aren't a rouge or loner named Red, are you."

"No, I'm a clan cat."

"Which clan?"

"Riverclan."

Fawnleap nodded.

"Your name?"

"If you keep stating things like you are, you tell me."

"Your name is Emberwing, isn't it?"

"How did you know?"

Fawnleap took a deep breath, shaky from their rapid back-and-forth questions.

"I've been watching over you for quite a while, Emberwing."

**Ta da :I I am so much in a dark hole right now… listening to 'This Is Halloween' over**

**And over**

**And over.**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: who is your favorite cat(s) in this story? I would like to hear your opinions, (and hopefully they are not all Emberwings) and give me a song that describes ur fave character! **

**Like… mine (of course) is Wildfire, my first OC, and I would use P!nk's 'Sober' to describe her! You don't have to do the second part, but that would be cool :3**

**P.S. does anyone know Marshall lee x Prince Gumball? if not... youre missing out! :3 (WARNING: its Yaoi, BxB)**

**~Emberfall**


	33. The Beginning, Part 1

**Hey my readers! Hope everything is gud, ect… xD**

**Writing a darker Fanfic? Listen to 'This Is Halloween'… its perfect :I**

****A smigit of a timeskip here… sorry, but its all for a reason.****

~~~_**One Week Later… (Seven sun rises)**_

Emberwing didn't interrogate the Windclan leader of Starclan again. Black, Silverdust had explained with an understanding grin, would take over her job until she was ready to kill the she-cat.

Fine with her, she didn't trust herself around Fawnleap anymore. She had told Emberwing too much. Her mind was swimming with all the questions she had been too stunned to ask. Her head had been full of moss then, when the leader was telling her things that would corrupt any cat's mind. Emberwing had no will to live now. What was the point?

She shook her head, flicking little droplets of blood everywhere. She couldn't think like that anymore! She had convinced Riverclan that she was just uncomfortable in the nursery, but she had really been moping around in her nest, even beginning to speak to her unborn kits in her belly. It was comforting when she felt them squirm in her, filled her with warmth that was just as pleasuring as Troutclaw's love. The tom had been running his legs down, it seemed, hunting when he wasn't with her to keep her well-fed. Flamekit recently had developed green-cough, but the Riverclan marshes had lent them plenty of catmint for Stormwater to claim that the golden kit would be just fine.

Of course Troutclaw didn't listen, though, and was constantly asking the medicine cat to make sure it wouldn't develop into white-cough. And flitting around like a butterfly. And hunting.

More.

She was shaken out of her musings by the streaming of cats as Silverdust's yowl rang through the forest. Emberwing found her place at the base of the rocks, next to Black and the she-cat who was guarding Fawnleap. Two of the younger cats had probably been left behind to watch over her.

"I have called you cats here for two very special announcements. The first: Black, my Second in command…" the large black tom beside her was obviously confused, but he puffed up his chest in pride as Silverdust looked down at him.

"… Is hereby third. He will be replaced by Red as second."

Emberwing wasn't sure which was worse: the hundreds of cats yowling and flashing feral grins at the sound of her name, or Black. His fur seemed to ripple as his muscles flexed and his claws hooked in such a way Emberwing knew her neck would be between them if Silverdust wasn't just above them, watching with an amused gaze. Emberwing now had Fall on her left and Black at her right, both surprised by the announcement. Of course, only Black was radiating the intent to kill.

"And second, due to reasons I'm sure you'll not mind, I am moving up the attack on Starclan to three sun rises away. Starclan was preparing for the attack we were going to do, so the sooner, the better. The night of the full moon, when all of you out here who are Clan cats will be at Fourtrees, you will be here."

"But how will we be here, when we will be with all of the clans?!" cats agreed with this random cat's statement, and were looking toward the silver she-cat for the answer.

A grin as bad as Emberwing's had a while ago migrated to her jaws and stretched her lips.

"I'm sure you will all find a way."

**Line break! ~~~~~~~~~~**

She went to Stormwater's den first.

Flamekit had been moved into a reed nest in one of the corners of the cave and was sleeping, so Emberwing was comforted he wouldn't be repeating anything she said in there.

"Stormwater? We need to talk; it's important." The grey tom was sorting herbs towards the back and had to be nudged before he totally got out of his groove.

"Oh, sorry, Emberwing… What is it that you needed?" Stormwater had become a great friend, and even though he was much older than her, (he told her he had been made medicine cat just before she had been born!) he was the cat she trusted the most, (besides Troutclaw) even a little bit more than Reedstar.

"I need to confess something to you… I've been-"

"No Need," he cut her off. "Now, I don't know what exactly you've been doing, but Starclan has been sending me dreams about a day such as this, where 'secrets will be spilled to save blood from doing the same', but I was told you would need these..." he got up and pushed out a rather large bundle of leaves toward her, about the size of her two paws put together and wrapped securely in reeds.

"What," she ground out, "is _that_?"

"Poppy seeds…Enough to feed every cat at the whole Gathering!" the tom's voice was joking, but his face was dead serious, daring her to tell him he was being absurd, that why would she need so many poppy seeds; Begging her to tell him that Starclan was wrong, that many cats, both Starclan and Clan alike, would die in less than three sun rises, that Starclan had a chance of disappearing. Her gaze slid away from his. She couldn't tell him things that were false, anymore.

Glancing at the bundle again, she nodded. "Bring them to the gathering, please. Tell anyone who asks it's for Thunderclan or something" and left.

She had some work to do.

**Weee! Bad- Ass Embie! (sort of…?)**

**Okay, QUESTION OF THE F'N DAY!: what do you think Fawnleap told Emberwing…? You guys will love it, trust me. **

**You will.**

**YOU WILL~**

**Anyways, till next time, (tomorrow, (duh!)) **

**EmberFall**

**P.S.: THIS IS HALLOWEEN**

**THIS IS HALLOWEEN**

**HALLOWEEN **

**HALLOWEEN! **


	34. The Beginning Part 2

**OMG GUESS WHAT GUYS! (and gals) I found THE PERFECT SONG FOR Emberwing! It's called 'Lion' by Hollywood Undead, and I feel it fits her PERFECTLY! :) anyways, enjoy the story **

The Nursery was finally quiet, devoid of the whispers and giggles from earlier, and Emberwing was finally able to drift into sleep. The battle between Starclan and the Darkforest was less than two days away… it scared her so much, her kits in her belly squirmed as if uncomfortable by their mother's fear.

She didn't blame them.

After opening her eyes to the Dead forest, she leapt up onto a small boulder on the edge of the clearing where it seemed Bark and Boulder were fighting and were attracting a pretty large crowd of cats; perfect.

"All Clan cats, please gather around," she yowled, not at all scared like the real Emberwing would be. In the Darkforest, Emberwing felt more confident; braver almost. This wasn't the evil cat that sometimes took over her body, though. This was just… a better her. Cats milled around, drifting towards where she called them, while some stayed behind with curious faces, which she guessed were the non-Clan cats.

"What is it, Red?" Bark. She didn't know he was in the Clans… then again, she was surprised to see some cats in the crowd and others nowhere to be seen; the only cat Emberwing knew didn't belong was Black, still angry at her for his demoted rank.

"I am also a Clan cat, and I have come up for a way for all of us to be here for the gathering." Several cats looked stunned that she was a Clan cat, while others nodded at the statement and were waiting for her next words.

"I am bringing enough poppy seeds for everyone here; just go behind the Fourtrees to get yours. They take several moments to go into effect, but others will be unable to wake us from the battle or put us in any danger. Of course, any cat that is not chosen to go to the Gathering, just go into the medicine den and steal some after your medicine cat leaves."

Some cats looked to agree with her plan, others not so much, but no cat said anything.

"I have a question, but could we talk in private, please?" that was Soul, **(chapter 26)** the she-cat who she met right before she caught Fawnleap what seemed like seasons ago. Emberwing nodded and dismissed the other Clan cats, and padded into the bare trees for a while, the silver she-cat with the coal eyes said nothing, but she looked shaky. After another heartbeat, she decided to break the silence.

"Are you feeling okay? You look a bit sick." Soul hesitated for a moment longer before turning to her.

"I can't do this anymore! I just started training here to be a better warrior; I can't attack Starclan! My mother and father are up there… I… just cant." She looked like she was preparing for a fatal blow, but Emberwing was elated. This was perfect! She had actually been planning on looking for cats who didn't agree with what they would all be doing, but it was difficult trying to do that without making cats feel like they had to say they were okay with it or looking like she didn't agree. Even Beetleeyes, her best friend, was truly okay with the upcoming battle, and that bothered Emberwing. She didn't want to meet the brown and black warrior in battle, but there was no choice; it was either stay friends with her or save Starclan.

"Uh, Red? Are you going to do anything?" Soul looked confused thinking how Emberwing probably looked happy, but she wouldn't be the only cat tomorrow night, and she would have a better chance of stopping the attack.

"No, I agree with you; I won't kill you. Do you know any others who are hesitant or unwilling?" Still stunned, all she she-cat could do was give a small nod.

"Good. Bring them back here just past moon-high. That gave plenty of time to talk to plan tomorrow night; both stopping the attack, and finally fulfilling what should've happened a long time ago.

LINE SKIP

The meeting with the other cats came and went quickly; Soul was able to gather eleven cats who were against the upcoming attack and were willing to help. Emberwing had explained to them the plan, but left out what would happen afterwards.

They didn't need to know what would happen afterwards.

Emberwing felt a sudden chill of fear, and then the tugging sensation that told her that her body was waking up. She was alone, so she said nothing as she left the forest and opened her eyes to the dark underground den. Her belly, now swollen, was moving; after her eyes adjusted, she could even see individual paws press against her belly. What was going on…?

Deciding to ask the mother and her former mentor what was happening; she nudged the russet-brown she-cat until her eyes flickered open. Robinflight's amber eyes held unspoken questions, but one gaze to her belly made her get up, making the den fill with mewls as the four kits that had been curled around her belly were left in the nest alone.

"Hush, kits. Emberwing's going into labor!"

What, what?!

Stormwater said it wouldn't happen for another quarter of a moon! The kits were coming early…

But the next time she went to sleep, she would be in a life-or-death battle.

Oh, Great Starclan, what has she done?

**Uh oh… I wonder what she is going to do… she has to go to the gathering in less that 24 hours… :)**

**QUESTION OF THE DAY: I need some DF names for the cats who don't want to fight Starclan… im sure you guys can supply;)**

**Im getting better at cliffies! Haha….**

**TILL NEXT TIME: **

**EmberFall**


	35. The Middle

**HEY**

**GUESS WHAT**

**I know someone who is awesome!**

**Who, you ask…?**

**Me! I was bored, so I am DUBLE UPDATING… I know I'm probably killing you guys with the suspense, because Emberwing is in labor!**

***eats Thank cake from Woot* *much***

**(All kit names are my creation, as I felt rebellious and didn't want to 'borrow' any names, (nice way of saying it: I didn't want to show any bias))**

**N'JOY!**

The dawn was just peeking into the nursery when the pain came. Before then, it had just been a numb sensation that tickled and made her and Troutclaw smile, thinking that she was just immune to the pains of labor, and the kits would come into the world without the big fuss of, well, every other she-cat in existence.

Starclan, were they wrong.

It started with a tugging sensation, which would've been uncomfortable without four kits, a worried mate, an amused queen, and a frazzled medicine cat. After the tugging, it felt like she had splinters in her lower belly, and she had moaned in pain, setting Troutclaw into a frenzy and asking Stormwater if she was okay, and if she needed anything, and if the kits were okay.

"yes, you stupid tom, they are fine! Emberwing's fine! Everything is fine," the medicine cat snapped, finally at his edge. He was probing Emberwing's belly, nodding and murmuring about how large the kits felt, to be born so early.

"Now," he said after a moment's more of feeling, "Since these kits are being born so early, they may be… defected."

"Defected? What do you mean?!" Troutclaw burst out from his sulking position at Emberwing's head, craning his neck so his head didn't brush the low roof of the den.

"By defected I mean one may be born blind, or you may have a runt in the litter. There's also a small chance that one could be born still, or a kit that is very weak and most likely won't survive the first few nights."

That was something Emberwing had never really thought about. What if Starclan cursed her kits for training in the Darkforest?! What if she got the same dreams as Silverdust, telling her to kill her kits because of what they could become…?

"We will love them no matter what condition they are in," She said firmly, purring as Troutclaw nodded with a serious face, her breath hutching as the purr broke off into another moan.

"Mistkit, would you please grab some wet moss from my den?" Stormwater looked at the little grey kit, which scampered out with her siblings on her tail.

"Now, Robinflight, would you please inform the clan that Emberwing is in labor? And maybe ask Whitepaw to come in here soon? I always think it's good for the apprentices to help with kitting."

The queen's eyes glinted with amusement as she left, leaving just the three of them in the underground nursery. Finally, the medicine cat directed his gaze to Troutclaw.

"Troutclaw, could you go gather some feathers? Your mate and kits alike will need a soft nest when this is over and done with."

Her beloved Troutclaw nodded, licked her ears, and then darted out of the den.

Now they were alone, just Stormwater and Emberwing. She looked at the ragged grey tom, and took a deep breath.

"Now, explain what 'defects' they could have, Stormwater," the tom winced.

"There's a big chance they will be weak or born still. There is a slightly smaller chance that…" he drifted off. Even through the pains that pulsed through her belly and made her grit her teeth, she wanted to know what would happen to her precious kits. Now she truly understood what Silverdust had meant when she said the bond between a queen and her kits began before they were even born.

"…There is a chance that they will be… different; Tainted with Darkness, or with Light."

"Tainted? What do you mean, Stormwater?!"

He sighed, again, as if unwilling to say anything, but she made her glare as hard as she could, under the circumstances.

"There is a secret shared between Medicine cats, telling that a kit can be born with a Taint, which allows a dead cat to… take over their bodies at birth. The first incident happened so long ago, no one really remembers exactly what happened. There was a medicine cat who had kits, and all were born still but one. This one was Tainted Dark, and a Darkforest cat was able to live in his body, with no memories, of course, but the intent was still the same. It is said that he killed countless kits, queens, warriors, and elders alike. There is even rumor that he killed his own father…"

Emberwing tried to imagine her son/daughter killing Troutclaw, and killing kits. How easily she was able to picture this scared her.

"…And how big is this chance?"

"Smaller than the chance that they could be born still or blind, but not by much." This did little to comfort her, but simultaneously, Whitepaw, Troutclaw's younger brother, entered the den, and another wave of pain, stronger than all of the others, washed over her. She felt like she would be sick, and that is exactly what she did; at least she made the mess in an empty nest that can be easily replaced.

"Just in time, Whitepaw, she is beginning to go into her final labor waves. Now, when they come…" She blocked out the two toms as the pains began to make it harder to think. Unlike her usual, unexplainable pains that would occur in her head at random times, these were all… natural-felling. The other ones would feel just… wrong, but with these she knew what was going on, but at the same time, it didn't really help the situation in the slightest.

All of a sudden, her belly tightened and she let out a low whine between her teeth as stars appeared before her eyes.

"Here comes the first one," Stormwater announced, and Emberwing would've said something about how that was more than enough pain for the day, and could she do the rest tomorrow, but little whines were slowly leaking from her locked jaws as her belly contracted once more, and she felt a strange object placed against her stomach a moment later.

"It's a tom," Stated Whitepaw after a moment more of licking, and a little mew broke through this kit's mouth. Emberwing was enraptured. He was so… small! He was as big as her paw curled in a ball, and he had the cutest pelt; a calico pelt with only sparse white hair on his tiny underbelly, the most of it being black and orange. His eyes were closed, which they would be for at least another day, but he was… perfect.

Another batch of Starclan's brightest stars swam into her vision and stayed this time as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the pain, with no success.

"Hold on, Emberwing, two kits are wanting to come out at once…"

No wonder the stars were staying…

A familiar scent wafted into the den, and she was greeted with slow, loving licks to her head and shoulders.

"He's beautiful, Emberwing." He was purring, and even though it hurt, she couldn't help but join in at their situation. She was having Troutclaw's kits. This was amazing! She was surely blessed.

But Starclan, did it hurt.

"How many are there left, Stormwater?"

"Two; they are coming out—now" and with that last word, Emberwing's belly deflated, and the waves of nausea and the stars slowly faded into the corners of her vision, leaving her panting heavily and very, very tired.

Suckling at her milk were three little kits, the little tom, and two she-cats. One was pure white with a brown underbelly, which was a rather strange combination, but it looked so adorable on her… and the other was a brown she-cat, looking exactly like Troutclaw but with a white paw.

"They're perfect!" Troutclaw was glowing, and she could almost see the happiness and content radiating off of his pelt.

"What should we name them," he prompted, gazing at them and then back at Emberwing. She had the perfect names for the two she-cats, but she would let Troutclaw name the tom, like she knew he wanted to."

"I'm just_ stumped_ on a name for the tom…" she weighed her words heavily, and Troutclaw caught her hint and cuffed her ears with a playful purr.

"The tom… Spiderkit." He looked to her eyes for her opinion. The tom did have longer legs than his sisters… Emberwing thought it was just right.

"It's perfect. The two she cats… the white skit shall be Whisperkit, and the brown one with the white paw will be… Hiddenkit."

"Those are perfect names," commented Stormwater, sniffing each of them and giving a nod to the mates. "Welcome to Riverclan, Hiddenkit, Spiderkit, and Whisperkit."

As happy as she was, there was that little thing in the back of her head that kept her from basking completely in the warmth of the new life suckling from her tummy and the tom who loved her curled up next to her stuffing mouthfuls of feathers in her nest.

This was not over, yet.

**Your welcome! I knew you guys would want to know straight away, so as a 'Thank You',**

**ALL READERS COMMENT, even if its just a "luv dis stoy" or something short **** I just want to know how much you guys love this story! :)**

**I love you all so much, **

**EmberFall**


	36. The End, Part 1

**Hey guys! Okay, I have to clear some stuffs up:**

**I am sorry if Hiddenkit is a name that *guest* suggested, but I thought of that name myself cause I live in a neighborhood called Hidden Woods… so… yeah, sawrry! **

**Another thing, I said that there were going to be two toms and one she-cat… oh well, I think you'll live ^^ (and I do not actually own the name Spiderkit, I skipped over it and accidentally said all names were my creation…) **

**And I am very disgruntled, I got a PM yesterday saying… mean things about the story because I haven't made any disclaimers.**

**Wow. **

**Is it really that gud? xD**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Warriors, (I wish I did, though) but I DO own all cats in this story, (Except the obvious ones like Spiderkit, though I don't plan on calling him Spiderlegs so…) happy now?**

Hiddenkit, Whisperkit, and Spiderkit were all snuggling against her belly as the sun reached its highest position in the cloudless blue sky; such a perfect day for Starclan to be attacked.

Her chest tore into ragged pieces at the thought of what she was going to do. There was no way Reedstar would let her go to the gathering; no, that was out of the question. She had to sneak to Fourtrees, but that also seemed impossible, since she was still so tired from giving birth that morning.

The complete fish-brained-ness sort of made her sick. _I'm about to go against my clan leader's orders and risk my life in a brutal battle with evil cats of the Darkforest against my warrior ancestors in a dream, but if I get hurt there my body is hurt, also. Oh, yeah, I'm also leaving my three kits, less than a sunrise old to possibly go into a fight I won't leave alive. _

This was crazy! Even though she knew she was protecting her kits' futures by doing this, they might grow up without a mother, without a single memory of her. The thought made her so sick she had to squeeze her eyes shut and try to focus on not being sick.

_Just think about all the lives you will save! _She thought, but it didn't really help.

The whole clan had feasted on the fish that had finally come back to the river for her kit's birth into Riverclan, but most were now in their dens catching some sleep before the Gathering.

The Gathering where she would sneak into to prepare the cats that were going to attack Starclan.

An idle thought climbed into her mind: she wondered what the sky would look like if Starclan fell, if Emberwing died before she was able to fulfill what she had to do.

*Line Break*

The sun was sinking behind the trees way too fast. The next time she saw that sun, it would be all over.

Oh, great Starclan, help her…

"Bye, Emberwing!" Troutclaw called, peeking his head into the den and purring at the sight of their kits. Robinflight was sleeping at the other end of the Nursery with her four kits, (Flamekit was healed from his Green-Cough, now) having already said good bye to Nighttallon.

That was another thing she could possibly leave behind: Troutclaw. She took a deep breath, knowing thinking so negatively wouldn't get her anywhere.

"Okay Honey, I'll see you soon!" _Much sooner than you think._

The cats were now gathered around Reedstar as they were about to leave when Stormwater popped his head in, also.

"I expect this is too important for you to miss out, huh?" his tone was sad, regretful, knowing her kits could die from an unknown weakness, and neither of them would be there to try and save them, but sadly, it was a risk Emberwing just had to take, because the other option was raising her kits without Starclan.

"Yes, you know that, mostly, at least. I'll meet you behind the Fourtrees, don't forget the poppy seeds."

He nodded and backed out of the den and she followed him with her ears until he pushed past the entrance.

Now for the worst part.

"Robinflight, wake up!" the queen blinked at her with alert eyes at her rushed tone.

"Listen, I can't explain, but I have to go to the gathering, and I need you to watch my kits."

"_What_?! What's so important that you have to _abandon _your_ kits_?!"

She took a deep breath as the queen spoke exactly what she was still asking herself.

"Starclan themselves rely on me to do this. If I don't, there won't be a Starclan anymore."

Robinflight's face looked torn between telling her to go and do what she needed to do or demand that this was outrageous and that she stay here and do her duty as a queen to her kits. Finally, the russet-brown queen nodded and gestured to the space in her belly for the kits to go.

Her heart was literally tearing, breaking and staying behind with the kits. She first buried her nose into each of their pets, taking shaky breaths that were quickly developing into tears. Hiddenkit was first as she was picked up by her scruff and placed into Robinflight's curve, followed by Whisperkit, then finally her little Spiderkit, who opened his tiny jaws into a mewl that made the tears finally fall. This was worse than an injury, worse that what Fawnleap had told her. This was… breaking her very soul apart.

After checking to make sure the seven kits in the curve of her belly were comfortable, Robinflight looked back up at Emberwing.

"This… this is something you may die doing, isn't it,"

Emberwing could only nod as she tried to contain the sobs that were clogging her throat.

"Emberwing… Good luck. I believe in you. If you are… unable to return, I will make sure your kits know how brave you were, and how you almost couldn't stand to let them go."

Again, Emberwing could only nod, her breath hitching, and with one last, long look at her kits, padded out of the den.

No cat was in the clearing, all probably sleeping as the moon was now barely visible above the trees. She had to hurry if she was to make it in time.

*Another line Break, (Sorry)*

Her breath was coming out in small little puffs as she finally made it to behind the Fourtrees. The trip had taken its toll, and if this was a real battle, she would be dead in a heartbeat. She saw Stormwater there at the base of one of the four huge oaks, an almost-empty leaf pouch at his paws.

"About time," he muttered, handing her four poppy seeds with a frown. She lapped them up without a word, nodded to him, and padded around, where the four leaders were just now starting the Gathering, the cat's voices slowly fading out. Next on her list was something outrageously stupid, and she had to act her way through it, which was worse. To help her in this little act, she let down her defenses just the tiniest bit and tried to encourage the evil in her to come out. She felt the eyes on her and the stunned yowls around her from her clan as she confidently padded to the base of the Fourtrees, not caring. She didn't need to care; all these cats should be licking her paws and thanking her for not already killing them.

Now she was at the first branch of the largest tree where Cloudstar and Reedstar sat, both looking at her with slightly gaping mouths at her unexpected appearance and her boldness, climbing slowly but surely up the tree reserved for the leaders of the four clans.

Every eye was on her.

"Now, I'm sure you all know what the Darkforest is, no?" no cat said anything, all too stunned. She could pick out the ones who did know, though, the ones who were a part of it. They all had vicious grins on their faces, and their claws here digging into the hard-packed earth.

"Well, we're going to attack your Starclan, and we will finally be where we belong: ruling over you."

The Evil in her relished over their faces of fear. She was sure that blood was already in her pelt, that her eyes were already glowing with a red hot malice.

The poppy was finally taking effect, the first of the cats were falling to the ground, and Emberwing climbed back to the ground as hers were also making her mind shut down and her limbs dead.

Finally, the moment had come for her to finish what was meant to happen.

**Expect another long chapter tomorrow…**

**Hey, guess what:**

**Three more chapters left.**

**Only three! (maybe a little more or less, but three is a magic number that I'm basing this off of)**

**Hope you guys liked!**

**Till a tomorrow im sure you wish would come sooner, **

**EmberFall**


	37. The End, Part 2

**Hey my amazing Readers! Im so sad the story is almost over… **

**But have no fear! I will begin another right after this one ends, (I will post the summery on the last chapter)**

**Want a hint at the new Warriors FanFic nao? Look up 'Venus the Cat' on Google images and there yaw go **

**For best effect, listen to 'Heart of Courage' by Two Steps From Hell (extended version)**

It was strange, when she opened her eyes again, because she was expecting the usual starless sky and dead trees of the Darkforest, but she was greeted with the edge of where Starclan met the Dead forest. She was on the darker side, of course, but less than five tail lengths away was the beginning of lush grass and little yellow flowers. Emberwing could just barely catch the smell of plump prey and warm sunlight.

Too bad it may get destroyed tonight.

Soul prodded her a moment later. "Nice announcement, _Emberwing_," she smiled, but she looked scared, and Emberwing had to admit, so was she.

"Yeah, well, I'm Red here. Go gather the rest of the cats please; I'll go talk to Silverdust."

"Okay… good luck."

Emberwing nodded and padded farther into the forest, searching for the familiar clearing she normally appeared in, surprised by how close it was the edge, and she had never really known. She found the white leader hunched over Fawnleap, who was panting, splayed out on the bloody ground. Racing over, she was relieved to see that neither she-cat was injured, but she was nowhere near happy to see the dead Windclan leader.

"Red, just in time! I decided to just kill her now, and I was just playing with her until you got here."

"Yes, Silverdust," is all she said. She and Fawnleap had discussed this a while ago, back before her mind had become so corrupted.

Without looking at the glowing white she-cat, she yanked Fawnleap up by her scruff. The light brown she-cat's eyes were glazed over, as if she were already dead.

"Just do it," she whispered brokenly. Fawnleap sure was a good liar. A flash of memory passed over her vision, taking hold of her attention for a split moment.

"_You know I'll have to kill you one way or another, Fawnleap," she had said. The leader just smiled. _

"_Do you know what happens to Starclan cats when they too get old? They Fade; they just disappear. All souls disappear, even though they outlast our bodies."_

Emberwing looks at these same cat's eyes again. Fawnleap winks her eyes at her. Taking a deep breath Emberwing looks at this cat's throat, and latches her teeth onto the bottom of them.

"_My soul is near that time, Red. Do not worry about me…"_

"…_But Fawnleap… I… I don't want to kill anyone!"_

It is over in a moment.

The limp body of Fawnleap lies at her feet, eyes closed, and on her face, the smallest of smiles. Looking down at her neck, Emberwing notices something that made her gasp. The blood trickling from her neck was turning into… light. Like little dandelion fluffs, following one another into the sky. Then Fawnleap's very body turns into light, breaking apart like earth on top of a hill.

Emberwing watches with held back tears as the body of the Windclan leader finally vanishes into the darkness of the sky.

"Now you're officially a Darkforest cat, Red; you have just killed your first Starclan cat."

"_You won't be killing me, little one. You are simply setting me free…"_

She said nothing for a long moment, before looking at Silverdust. "What's the plan?"

*Line break*

Soul has gathered every cat she could. One is nowhere to be found, so there are a total of twelve cats, including herself and Soul, who are going to try and stop this.

Soul introduces two cats who she said would be her guards. She first gestures to a black tom with a white spot on his eye, then what she assumed to be his sister, since she was the opposite of him, with white fur with a black spot on her eye.

"This is Falter and Solo. They will make sure you don't die before you finish what you have to." both cats nod to her, and she nods back with a smile that doesn't really reach her eyes. As Soul leads her around to the other eight cats, the two siblings flank her sides with identical expressions of determination.

Rock, Sand, Claw, Bone, Jump, Death, Wolf, and Scarlet, the other cats who didn't want Starclan to end, were all either scared, determined, or both. They trained with each other, or spoke of battle plans. As much as Emberwing felt guilty for it, none of them would be fighting if she could help it. They were way too outnumbered, and she didn't want the death of any cats on her shoulders for… however long she had left to live.

As she called the cats over, she panicked by how they all looked at her with reliance. They were all relying on her to direct them into this mess that she had helped create.

"Everyone but Soul, Solo, and Falter will not be fighting. I want you to run into Starclan, and tell as many cats as you cant about the attack. Try and hide anyone you can. The whole point of this is to raise alarm and protect the cats of Starclan, you hear?"

Almost every cat looked relieved that they would not be fighting. They all murmured their agreements, and, after a final nod from Soul, bolted towards the edge of the Darkforest.

"I hope they will be okay," Soul whispered. The silver she-cat was pacing, looking at where the cats disappeared off to with a worried expression. Emberwing wasn't worried, though, she knew they would be out of harm's path. Now, she had to give Soul her task, one even Emberwing was too scared to do herself.

"Soul, I want you to stick close to Black. He wants me dead, and in the midst of battle is the perfect place to commit a murder. Don't attack unless he starts killing."

"Y-Yes, Red! Good luck, both you and you two, Solo and Falter!"

The three cats nodded, and Soul ran off in search of the dead Darkforest warrior. As if to confirm the sense of dread she felt, Silverdust's yowl rang through the maze of dead trees, receiving a response of eagerness from every other cat, including them three.

Fear weighed down her paws as she ran with the two siblings on her flanks towards the edge of the Darkforest. There, Silverdust sad on a rather large tree branch, looking down on the masses upon _masses_ of cats gathered there.

One of the benefits of being second-in-command: She didn't have to push through any of the warriors to make her way to the base of the tree were Black and Fall were already gathered. She noticed Soul after another moment, watching him from the safety of another tree.

Now that she looked, there were twice as many dark warriors in the trees, flooding the clearing and even beyond with red.

"Now is the time to take back what should be ours!" Silverdust yowled. The noise in response was deafening, coming from both the ground and trees. Emberwing's eyes couldn't even see where the streams of Warriors stopped, there were that many.

"Now, let us go, and show Starclan just because we were trapped here, that _we have not grown weak_!"

If Emberwing hadn't been the high rank that she was, she would've been trampled the moment Silverdust's statement ended and cats pounded for the front line of attack, and in a moment all who were left were the cats who had been pounded into the ground by the stampede, Silverdust, and her three in command.

As if there was no hurry, Silverdust climbed down from the branch and gestured for Fall and Black to go on ahead, which they did with barely contained enthusiasm.

This was perfect! She was now alone with Silverdust; she could kill this she-cat now, and it would all be over. Starclan would probably now be prepared for the battle, and they wont be overtaken so quickly that even if the Silver she-cat died right now they would still loose.

Right behind Emberwing came Solo and Falter, having hanged back as not to get hurt in the mass of rushing cats. They stayed about ten fox-lengths away, keeping a close eye on Silverdust and herself.

Just as she was slpiing out her claws from their sheathes, a figure tackled her to the ground. She yowled in stunned surprise as she was held to the ground my claws and teeth.

"If you are planning to kill her, you will have to go through us first, _Sister_."

**I know, I know, you guys hate me, blah blah. I may post a chapter early in the morning, or maybe even tonight, if I can… I know you guys are most likely biting your fingernails off by now…**

**I tried to use as many names as I could for the DF cats who opposed, but if I didn't use yours, im sawrry! **

**Im so excited about this story right now… and im sure you guys are, too! You know what? Im going to start on another chapter right nao!**

**Chao~ **

**Ill see you in a couple of hours!**

**EmberaFall**


	38. The End, Part 3

**Hey! I wanted to do a double update… your welcome:) I know you guys are probably too excited to wait another 24 hours, (or usually more like 30) so here ya go! **

**Oh, and thanks to everyone who will comment on both chappies! **

**NOTE: not the last chapter (Probably) xD**

Four paws, claws out, were holding her down, along with one jaw on her scruff. Her eyes were blocked by her attacker's fur, or more clearly, her brother's fur. Stripefang, her own brother, was with the Darkforest.

It confused her how she wasn't surprised.

Okay, the claws were starting to sink into her fur now, so she kicked her remaining free hind leg at the attacker she couldn't see, hearing a satisfying grunt as her claws fore flesh, and the weight and claws disappeared, leaving just Stripefang holding onto her. She struggled some more, and was able to sink her fangs into his foreleg, earning a hiss of pain as he too retreated.

She was finally able to take in her situation. She was only lightly bleeding from her belly and shoulders, so she was okay, for the moment at least. Silverdust was nowhere to be seen. Stripefang was panting a few paces to her right, inspecting his foreleg with a hiss of irritation. Solo and Falter are on the ground, motionless. A shadow is over them; the other unknown cat.

The other cat was… Nightmask.

This did surprise her. How was he in the Darkforest?! He was so kind… he would never have gone here of his own free will, she was sure of that.

She was distracted again as Stripefang looked her straight in the eyes. "I won't let you kill Silverdust, Emberwing. That is out of the question."

Fawnleap was right about one thing, at least. Her heart throbbed as she remembered her conversation with the now dead Windclan leader.

"_Emberwing… I've been watching you for a while, now."_

_She just looks at the leader, not quite believing what she was being told. _

"_There has been…_

Claws dig into her fur again, and Emberwing is now a puppet. She doesn't really see what is going on, as much as just watching through her own eyes. The red has overtaken her completely, something that has never happened before now. She had been close but never as far gone as this.

**Sorry for the interruption… if you have the time and are lost on how much more crazy Embie can get, look up on YouTube: "Maka goes insane" *eng dub or eng sub it doesn't matter* it's from an anime, around two minutes long… and is exactly what I think her insanity is like. Enjoy!**

Nightmask joins in, biting and scratching and tearing, his eyes blank. He has no emotion as he carries out his tasks, just… soul less.

Then, it finally clicked into place.

"Nightmask… he's a Taint, isn't he?" she spits this in Stripefang's face, but since she had to take over control of her body to speak, he is able to cuff her around the head, bringing stars to hinder her vision.

"Yes, sister, he is. He was weak enough to be completely overtaken; the Nightkit that you knew is dead. His body is just a shell that holds a Darkforest warrior."

Emberwing mourned as she continued to block Stripefang's attacks, never able to strike back because of her brother's immense speed.

"In Fact, Sister, I believe we both know another who is a Taint." He is not even breathless, instead just striking against her and smirking as it takes all of her energy and attention to not get hit. He is just toying with her, not really trying. Nightmask sits just beyond reach with a blank stare. Emberwing doesn't think she ever saw him blink this whole time, now that she thinks about it.

"_There has been a mistake… I'm sure you know of Silverdust's past by now, yes?"_

She is now bleeding into her eyes, making it hard to see.

"Who, yourself," she grunts, wincing as he cuffs her 'round the head once again.

"No, silly. I think we both know what I am; you too."

"_Well, Silverdust didn't tell you the whole story…"_

Fawnleap's voice is ringing in her ears as she falls to the ground. She has to let the insanity in her come out if she wants to ever survive this, but she was hesitant. She wasn't sure if she went so deeply into the madness, she would never return.

But she had to try.

Suddenly, she was watching again. She felt no pain. She felt no fear of death. All she saw was an annoying cat who should be dead.

"Is that all you got?" she slurred, twisting in such a way that Stripefang had to let go to escape falling.

She lashes at his face, giggling as he grunts and stumbles.

This was way too easy.

"Come on, _brother_, fight me, and stop holding back! Show me what you learned here in this death hole."

Stripefang says nothing, just looks at her and smiles, showing his fangs. They start to lengthen, until when he closes his mouth again, they still are clearly sticking out. His eyes are now completely black, no more white in his gaze, or green. His claws are hooks.

"You want me to get serious, sister, so serious you will get, but before you die, don't you want to know what happened to Morningbird?"

He takes her moment of hesitation to attack, rolling her over onto her back to tear her belly with his hint legs as he latches onto her throat. She is able to push him off, but barely. She can't feel pain, but the injury is slowing her body down.

"It's pretty obvious you killed her, _brother_, who else would've?!" she lashes at his face again.

He giggles back at her. "Oh, come on! You couldn't have _pretended_ to be curious?! Great sibling you are!" he stops attacking, instead looking at her with huge, completely black eyes and a pouting expression.

She stops fighting too, but she is sure she looks manic.

"You are no sibling of mine. My brother is dead to me." She said exactly what he had said to her. And it felt _good_.

He growls, and lunges straight for her neck.

Stripefang stops suddenly, his eyes huge, and peers down at his chest, where a paw in sunken into it. He frowns, and looks like he is about to speak when he closes his eyes and collapses.

Nightmask stands over his unmoving form. He looks at Emberwing after a moment, tears in his eyes.

"Emberwing… good to see you again. It's been a while, huh?" his voice is dry and tear-choked.

She stumbles over to him, tears of her own in her eyes as she buried her nose in his fur. He smells like blood and death, but his face is alive again, his eyes are awake. He looks horrified.

"Emberwing… get away from me. I can't hold him off for too much longer, and he will kill you!" he starts to panic, looking at her with fear.

"How... how long have you been under his control?"

"The night we met at the Fourtrees was he last night I was myself."

She chocked back her tears. He had been trapped that long?! She didn't know how he could've stood it; it took all her will and them some to pull herself from the insanity.

"_Silverdust didn't tell you the whole story; her kits never went to Starclan."_

"Oh, Nightmask…"

"He's coming back… look, Emberwing, I'm supposed to be dead already. Do you know why I haven't died, yet?"

She shook her head. She had tears falling.

"I never disappeared because I never told you I loved you. Now I can finally…" his voice hitched, and his face went blank once again. The life faded from his eyes.

He took a step towards her, but she made no move. Nightmask had loved her. He had endured all of the pain and torture to tell her he loved her, and now he was gone.

Nightmask—no, the Darkforest cat controlling his body, takes another step forward, walking on Stripefang's body.

Starclan, was that a bad move.

Emberwing had known Stripefang wasn't dead, his chest had still been moving shallowly the whole time they had been talking, but it seemed the Darkforest cat didn't know this. When he was right in front of Stripefang, her brother lashed at the black cat, bringing him to the ground, and tore out his throat.

"If I can't... kill my sister… no…one can." He was gasping, his wounds leaking too much blood for him to live. He looks at her, his eyes back normal.

"Your..." he wheezes.

_She was confused. "What, Goldkit and Greenkit?"_

_Fawnleap nods. "Yes. They never went to Starclan. They stayed, roaming the Clans for the next Taints."_

"Welcome…" his chest stops moving.

"_And did they ever find a Taint to take over?"_

"_I think you know the answer to that, Emberwing, or should I say,"_

"Goldkit…" his eyes close.

"_Goldkit."_

Stripefang and Greenkit are both dead now, but she is too far gone to care. She was going to do what she should've done too long ago to remember.

She was Goldkit, and she was going to kill Silverdust.

**Know this chapter is a little intense/choppy, but I hope you guys liked this double update!**

**The story will be over tomorrow or the day after :( :)**

**Till tomorrow and the battle that determines it all, **

**EmberFall**


	39. The End Is Over

**Okay, WOOT, a lot will be answered in this chappie, and anything that isn't I will answer personally at the bottom. **

**One that I will answer now is: Nightmask was not Greenkit, but just a random DarkForest warrior. Stripefang was Greenkit.**

**NOTE: this is the last chapter, so it will be pretty long. I will also add the summary for the newest Fanfiction (warriors, of course) that will be posted tomorrow or the day after… anyways, I'm sorry for the confusion, but it's all part of the story line :)**

**WARNING: lots of death in this chappie, sawrry**

**Okay, N'JOY!**

**P.S: for the best effect, during the fight scenes listen to "I Don't Wanna Die" by Hollywood Undead xD its awesome, and perfect :)**

Emberwing was greeted with yowls and screeches as she broke through the tree line of the Darkforest, and stepped foot into Starclan for the first time. The valley was in disarray, the swarm of Dark warriors like a disease, sweeping past the white glowing cats that were their ancestors. Every heartbeat or two, a pouf of white signaled another Starclan cat had died. It was a frightening experience, just watching, and again Emberwing felt that her plan was near impossible.

"Impressive, isn't it?" a voice spoke from behind her. Emberwing didn't even bother to turn around, knowing that Silverdust was there, watching the madness unfold with hungry eyes.

"I personally think it depends on the point of view," her _personal view_ was that this was every nightmare she ever had curled into one, but hey, who was she to judge? This was partially her fault, anyhow.

"Is that so? And let me guess, you want to kill me now, to end this whole thing? I'm sorry to break this to you, Red, but that won't stop them; they are not being controlled, but simply fighting for what they think is just. Sure, I _pushed_ them a little bit, but at the end of the day, if I die, it makes no difference. Starclan will fall, and we will finally be where we belong."

"I guess so, Silverdust, but there are some things that you should've told me, before herding me like a rabbit towards a waiting patrol. Like how you knew that Goldkit and Greenkit never went to Starclan? That would've been helpful to know. Like how you kept my brother's training a secret from me, training him to be your bodyguard, knowing fully well I'd have to kill him to get to you. Training _your own son_ to be killed by your daughter."

Emberwing was still looking straight ahead; not looking at the vile she-cat behind her, so she didn't know is Silverdust was surprised from her outburst. If she was, her voice hid it well.

"So, I guess I know what you're here to do, now."

"Yes. If I kill you, the prophecy will be fulfilled, and this unfair attack will end."

Emberwing turned around just as the silver she-cat pounced, already going straight to her throat. Emberwing dodged, but from the moment Silverdust's claws raked her side, she knew in her heart she was going to lose. Fighting against Stripefang, Emberwing hadn't known who would die and who wouldn't, just because their skills were matched. Actually, if it hadn't been for Nightmask's final moments of being himself, Emberwing doesn't think she would've been here right now.

Now, against her mentor, against the most powerful cat in the Darkforest, she might as well say her final goodbyes to everyone, but she couldn't think that way, not now. She wanted her last moments to be thinking positive—at least as positive as she could, in this situation.

Another thing that she couldn't do: let her insanity take over. She was fearful of doing that in the first place, but if she did, Silverdust would, also, and that would just bring her back to where she was right now.

Similar to Stripefang's attacks, it took all of her energy to not get hit anymore, unable to strike back. It seemed the other cats saw what was happening, because there were no more yowls or flashes of dead cats going into the sky from the corners of her eyes.

Silverdust was pushing her towards an outcropping of rocks, forming a cleft where shade made it seem like a blissful place to rest on a hot day, not somewhere where she would be murdered.

She couldn't be forced into that cleft, or she would be dead, she knew for a fact, but she was powerless against Silverdust's blows. Even blocking them with strikes of her own was weakening her, and it couldn't be long before she fumbled and she was given the death blow.

Silverdust's eyes looked… conflicted. Like, she didn't really want to do this, but at the same time, it looked like she was enjoying it. Seeing the overhang coming closer and closer, Emberwing tried a different tactic.

"What happened to never killing your kits, Silverdust? Goldkit lives inside of me; are you really going to make her disappear?" to her dismay, the silver she-cat never even faltered, instead pushing her harder and her gaze was no longer twisted, but determined.

"Goldkit was a runt. Greenkit was always to be the destined stronger, destined to be the leader of the Darkforest. You and Goldkit both are nothing to me."

The pain ripping through her heart stung. Goldkit's pain, not Emberwing's; she couldn't care less what the glowing silver she-cat thought of her, but the soul of the little kit in her heart and mind thought it meant the world.

"How can you… how can you say that?!" she was spitting, furious and not really thinking, giving Silverdust the perfect chance to push her up against the rock wall.

Mouse-dung. She was dead now. She had no chance of surviving this…

_You mouse-brain! Are you really that much of an empty-head!_

_Goldkit?!_

"_Yes, finally. Look, before she spills your guts, stop thinking about living and look around!_

Listening to the soul inside of her, which she must say had never spoken to her before now, and searched with frantic eyes as Silverdust took her time delivering the final blow.

There! Oh Starclan… did she really have to?

_Do you want your kits to grow up not having Starclan, Emberwing?_

_No, but I don't want them growing up without a mother, either!_

_You know what you have to do, Emberwing. Just do it._

_If I die, I'll kill you…_

That was her final full thought as she pushed her back against the wall of rocks as hard as she could, listening to the creaking of the boulders as they were unbalanced and fell on top of them in a plume of dust and sand.

_It's not dark. That's the first thing she notices when her eyes open again. She is floating, or something close to it, because she doesn't feel a ground under her. Was she dead? What happened, again? _

_Oh yeah, she unsettled the boulders on top of the two of them, crushing them. She had to kill herself to kill Silverdust. She closes her eyes. The prophecy was finally filled. _

_She was about to give up and just…fade… when she heard a voice from far away._

"_Emberwing… don't leave, yet…"_

_What did this voice want? She didn't want to hang on any longer. She just wanted to forget everything and anything._

"_Emberwing! Get over here right this instant!" the voice was firmer now, and with a sigh, she drifted towards it to ask it to be quiet. She was so tired, she just wanted to go to sleep and be left alone._

_She squints as a brighter light than around her grows in front of her eyes, and she is suddenly on a grassy hill. Her eyes are close again, and when she opens them again…_

"Finally! I thought she was dead!"

"She _is_ dead."

"You know what I mean, mouse-brain."

"Why won't she open her eyes? I'm bored of waiting! Poke her, poke her!"

Emberwing feels a poke on her cheek. She huffs and opens her eyes, to be greeted by a sight that made her jump.

There were four little kits in front of her, two frighteningly familiar. There was one little kit that caught her eyes first, her little green eyes perfect for a little calico pelt.

She was looking at herself.

The other kit was Stripefang—kit, which made her heart throb with the sadness knowing that he was dead. The two kits next to them were who she assumed to be Goldkit and Greenkit, by the reddish-gold pelt of one and the tortoise shell of the other.

"Where am i?" she asked the kits, not really expecting an answer, so she was surprised when they stopped playing, sat down, and looked at her all serious-like.

"Starclan sent us to you to help you."

"Help me? How can you help me?"

"They said since you risked your life to save Starclan, they would let you settle any disputes, ask any questions that you need to, that kind of stuff, before you Fade.

"What… Why am I Fading?! Why am I not joining Starclan?!"

Little Emberkit frowns, looking at the other three kits, who just shrugged.

"You did just say I could ask any questions I needed to," She reminded Emberkit.

"They said that you were too good to be banished to the Darkforest but too bad to live in Starclan…"

Emberwing ignored the bigger question floating around in her head.

"They… who is 'they'?"

"The five Starclan leaders, of course," Stripekit answered, his eyes trained on Goldkit's tail as it switched in the grass behind her.

"Why am I talking to you kits? And more importantly, why is… my younger self in front of me?"

"Why do you keep asking the tough questions," Greenkit grumbled.

"Okay, then why are you here, Greenkit? Aren't you supposed to be evil… the destined leader of the Darkforest or something?"

Goldkit frowned at her. "You don't see the whole thing for what it is yet, do you." Emberwing shook her head.

"Ugh, do we have to explain the _whole thing_ to her?! That's too long!" Stripekit looked grumpy; exactly what he was like when she was still in Thunderclan with him.

"Be quiet, Stripekit, and help me out. I only know what happened through Emberwing's point of view."

"Hmmph… fine"

Looking at me Goldkit began explaining what her whole life and before had consisted of.

"Well, as I'm sure you already know, we were dead soon after we born, me and Greenkit. There was the prophecy… I don't remember the exact words, of course, but it was saying how there would be a huge battle between Starclan and the Darkforest, one that killed many cats both alive and dead. Greenkit was supposed to lead the Darkforest, me to lead Starclan. For some reason, they thought it would be better if we just both died and stopped the battle from ever taking place."

"Great job they did," Greenkit muttered, earning a cuff from his sister.

"As you can tell, we never went to Starclan but instead looked for the next two Taints that could carry our souls. It was so long before we found you and your brother… we were weaker than normal. I was not able to completely take over your body, instead just sitting there inside your head, pushing thoughts your way every once and a while to keep you from dying. Greenkit had more luck and was able to take over Stripekit a couple of moons later. This Greenkit was evil, though, and that's why Stripefang was the way he was.

"It turns out that your Thunderclan medicine cat, Ivytail, had a prophecy about us, or something close to it, because she kept Stripefang from going to Riverclan and only you going."

"Wait," Emberwing interrupted, "The prophecy that kept Stripefang from being taken to Starclan was actually about me?"

"Well, both of you. For some reason, it was better for me to take you over if you were lost because of the change of Clans.

"Anyways, that obviously didn't work, so we just went on, training in the Darkforest and becoming more and more evil. It was then that I found out that I was supposed to possess Stripefang, and you for Greenkit—

"Wait, how in Starclan did you get something like that wrong?!"

"It's not my fault we didn't know which of you were for us!"

"_For_ you… I thought we were just Taints. We were _made_ for you two?!"

"…Yes. Starclan finally released their mistake, and made sure you and Stripekit were who we were supposed to be."

Emberwing felt so insignificant. "So I am not supposed to exist. I'm supposed to be a puppet for you; a shell."

Little Emberkit's ears folded back, and she curled up in a ball, peaking at Emberwing. "Please don't think that way," she whimpered, sniffing.

"Please continue, Goldkit. It can't get much worse, can it?"

"Um… like I said, we had possessed the wrong cats, so… yeah. We basically did the biggest mess-up ever. Greenkit's evil overtook Stripefang's good completely, making him able to control Nightmask, who was just a random Taint. My goodness did nothing to control your evil, so I was just waiting for my time to talk to you.

"Then Fawnleap went and told you that you were a Taint, and about the prophecy, that you were going to die, blah blah, and how you almost killed yourself really scared me… I could've died, 'ya know!

"_Anyways_, when you went against Stripefang and Nightmask, Nightmask was able to break free of his Dark Taint for a moment, fatally injuring both Greenkit and Stripefang, to tell you that he loved you, because that had been the only thing that was keeping him alive.

"Now, the point that confuses me, is how Stripefang was able to break free enough to kill Nightmask." Goldkit looked at her brother, who just shrugged.

"I have no idea how he did it either," he claimed, but when Goldkit turned away, he winked at Emberwing.

"So, Stripefang knew the whole time about this?" she asked, still sort of confused.

"More or less,"

Now Emberwing couldn't hold back the real questions she wanted to ask.

"What happened to Troutclaw?! What about Hiddenkit, Whisperkit, and Spiderkit?! What happens to the cats that died in the battle?!"

"That," Goldkit said after she was done, "Is something that is more of the Leader's place to answer."

"Will you take me to them? Please?" she added when she saw them frown at each other.

"I guess…" Emberkit relented, padding over and standing on her hind legs to touch noses with Emberwing.

Suddenly, she was near a river, only Emberkit still with her. There were five little tree stumps in front of them, each occupied by a glowing cat. it was easy to identify the different leaders: the one with the glossy fur must be the Riverclan leader; the skinny white one the new Windclan leader after Fawnleap; the black tom the Shadowclan leader, and the lean, long legged tom the Skyclan leader, which left the Thunderclan leader, a rosy colored she-cat.

"Emberkit, why did you bring her here? I thought you knew what would become of her," the Windclan leader addressed her kit-self, scowling at Emberwing with pure dislike. She was confused on why the she-cat hated her so much until she remembered she killed Fawnleap.

"But Rabbitrun… she deserves to live! I've seen her this whole time… she is worried about her kits and mate! Her clan! She _needs_ to go back!"

"I told you," The Riverclan leader muttered to the Thunderclan leader.

"This cat killed Fawnleap. She does not deserve to live again." This cat, Rabbitrun, claimed with a stubborn edge.

"But she didn't! Fawnleap told her to, because it was the only way for Silverdust to not kill her before she could end this all!"

Rabbitrun shot a glance at Emberwing, frowning. "Is this true?"

Emberwing nodded her head with vigor.

"See? She deserves to be sent back to her clan. Who knows? Maybe one day she will be leader of Riverclan, and one day even sit on this stump where I am now?" the Riverclan leader said.

"As far-fetched as your assumption is, Riverflow, I agree. I think Emberwing should live." The Shadowclan leader stated. The Thunderclan and Skyclan leaders shook their heads in agreement.

Rabbitrun huffed, and rolled her eyes. "Fine, but I'm warning you," she said, looking into Emberwing's eyes, "If you don't become a great cat, you'll have to speak to me."

Emberwing smiled. "Yes, Rabbinrun."

**~Many, many moons later~**

"Emberwing, Emberwing! Tell us a story!" Hiddenheart's kits pounded through the Warriors den, waking her son, Spiderleap and her other daughter Whisperstrike.

"It's too early," Troutclaw groaned, snuggling closer to her and huffing some more as the kits, Goldkit and Greenkit, nudged him again. It still made Emberwing smile, how Hiddenheart had named her kits after the two little Starclan kits that had altered her life.

"Too bad, tell us a story!"

"Are you two bothering those poor cats again?" Beetleeyes called, her third batch of kits still riding her back.

"No!" Goldkit called out innocently, giggling as Greenkit scampered out of the den and between the brown and black queen's legs.

"Don't worry," Emberwing told the golden little kit, "I'll tell you a story in a few moments; let me wake up this lump of fur first." She gestured towards Troutclaw, who was already asleep again against her back.

"Okay! Hurry, though!"

"Are you feeling well, father? Would you like me to get Mistsun to grab you any herbs?"

"No, no, I'm fine," he yawned, licking Emberwing's ears affectionately, watching Spiderleap and Whisperstrike exit the den and leave the two of them alone.

"It's amazing, how such strong warriors they became," Troutclaw mused, smiling.

"It helped to have such an amazing father," she claimed with a smile.

"And you as a mother," he reminded her.

"Yes, and me… Now, let's go see Flamestar! I think he'll make you his deputy today!"

"He better, since I was his mentor," he joked, waving his tail in farewell as he went to the Leader's den.

Emberwing looked around at the bustling clan, smiling peacefully. Greyleaf was leading a border patrol out, and Spiderleap was with his mate and her previous apprentice, Lightflash.

"Emberwing, will you tell us a story now?" Greenkit pressed, so with a purr she grabbed a rainbow fish and led them over to the shade of a tree.

"Tell us one with a lot of battles in it!" ordered Goldkit.

"And a lot of surprises!" added Greenkit.

Just then, Beetleeye's three kits Slashkit, Loudkit, and Jumpkit, joined them.

"Make it have a love story, too!" Jumpkit called out with a squeak.

"Can Starclan be in it?" inquired Loudkit.

"Do you kits want anything_ else_ in it," Called Stormfur, now a scruffy old elder, as he settled down next to her.

"Don't worry," Emberwing comforted the five little kits with a purr, "I have the perfect one."

Looking up at the sky, she started with a deep breath, mingled with sadness and a rush of adrenaline. "It all began when I woke up, and my brother's fur was right in my face…"

_**Le End~**_

**I.**

**Am.**

**Crying.**

**I cant believe that its just… over.**

**Done**

**Pouf.**

**O.O**

…

**Itll take a while to sink in, I think, but hey, this story only took up 58 days of my summer…**

**I have to thank all of my readers with my whole heart for commenting, favorite-ing, following, and basically supporting me through thick and thin, writers block and an extreme obsession with Halloween, and everything in between… you guys are all forever in my heart**

**FINAL QUESTION OF THE DAY: how did you guys like the ending? I had tears in my eyes though it, but… meh~ that's just me… what about you?**

**Okay, FOLLOW ME AS AN AUTHOR! I am posting a NEW STORY! Tomorrow!**

**Here is a sneak peek:**

Splitkit always had it rough. Her mother never really cared for her, and she had no siblings. The whole clan never looked at her, and when they did they would flinch. She was named Splitkit for a reason, after all. The first time she looked in a puddle at her reflection, even she was horrified. Her face was split in half, one side black with a green eye, and the other tan with a blue eye. The rest of her pelt was calico, but that didn't matter. She was a freak.

**Okay, that's like the summery or something, I guess… don't understand it? Look up "Venus the Cat" on Google Images, and you'll understand **

**Thank you to all of you who gave me cat names to use… did you know Silverdust was actually a Commentor's cat name? yup… she was supposed to be named Bouldershade… yup… Silverdust is a much better name, in my opinion…**

**I LOVE YOU ALL!**

**Mwa~**

**~EmberFall**

**LOOK FOR MY NEW STORY! Itll be called: "What is There To Do?"**


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